The Perfect Match
by Sheankelor
Summary: A much younger Severus trusted his best friend and she dosed him with a potion. Now, years later, he has his own Harry in his heart and the knowledge that he will never have the true one. Harry does his best to hide his attraction to Snape but can't resist convincing the Potions Master to join his little department of the Ministry when he needed help. Just what did Lily's potion do
1. Lily's Potion

_AN: This tale started out as an Adventdrabble that just wasn't able to be finished in time. It's also a present for Lizzy0305 for drawing the cover for The Granter, at least the first 10K are. The rest is her birthday present. Yen has been nice enough to edit this one, but it does mean that it will be coming out on her_ schedule _not mine. ^-^_

 _Chapter 1: Lily's Potion_

" _Just drink it, Sev." Red hair blocked the glaring green eyes. "It won't hurt you, I promise."_

 _Severus tipped the cup from side to side, watching the light glint off the red liquid. It wasn't as thick as his Mum's cherry cordial, nor was it as thin as Dad's sherry. It reminded him of strawberries around the edges where it was thinner and the light filtered through it._

 _Next, he sniffed it. He didn't recognise the smell as any one thing. Instead, there were a host of things it called to mind: warm apples eaten under the summer sky, the scent of rich soil in the greenhouses at Hogwarts, the breeze from swinging on the swings as high as you could. None of those would account for the bright red colour which was the reason why he was wary._

 _Small hands pushed the glass closer to his face. "Now, Sev."_

 _Severus looked into the bright green eyes, taking in the anticipation brightening her face, and drank the red liquid. It slipped down his throat, roared in his ears, caused his breath to stutter, before it created a pit of fire in his belly that rushed through his entire body. Trembling and starting to sweat, he looked at his friend and wondered just what this was. Lily's beaming smile stop his grousing before it began._

" _Well? Do you know?"_

" _Know what, Lily?" Severus set the cup down carefully on the park bench, his eyes searching her face as a small tendril of fear curled around his heart. "What is this drink supposed to do?"_

 _Lily picked up the cup and sat in its place. "It's supposed to help you recognise who you're destined to be with, or ..." she frowned slightly, "rather, who would be the best fit for you. Not a soul bond or anything, but..."_

 _Severus felt another spike of fear, this one clawing its way up his spine, his eyes widening. "You gave me a potion, one you're not sure what it would do?"_

" _Of course not, Sev." Lily shook her head. "I researched it carefully and spent a good part of the summer brewing it."_

 _Severus sent his mind on a frantic search for what the potion could be, but couldn't draw up a single one that he had found – not even in the restricted section. "Where? Where did you find it?"_

" _It's in the library – not Hogwarts, but the one here in town. I know it's really a potion, Severus." Lily's frown was nothing compared to the one Severus knew he was showing her. "It's supposed to tell you who's the one for you."_

" _And just how are you supposed to know? Angels appear and blow their horns?" He looked about as if hunting for said angels._

 _Lily shook her head. "No, silly. It's supposed to be a feeling you can't shake. Deep in your heart – you can feel them lodging there."_

 _Severus stared at Lily and could honestly say his heart was only reacting to fear not the potion that was still burning through the rest of his body. "Why should I want to know this, Lily?"_

 _She laughed. "It'll be great for both of us to know who we should chase after, shouldn't it? Next year we can spend less time worrying about whom to trust our hearts to and more time studying for our OWLs. It'll be easier if we knew who we get to be with. We can learn all about them and magically love will blossom."_

" _Lily …" Severus stopped for a moment, trying to think how to say what he was thinking. "What if the knowledge is more harmful than helpful?"_

 _Lily laughed. "How can knowledge hurt, Sev?"_

" _Can you still bring a dying flower back to life?" Severus knew she couldn't. It was accidental magic, something you learn not to do during your first year at Hogwarts._

 _Lily shook her head, her gaze drifting off to the flowers that surrounded them._

" _Knowledge, learning, prevents you from doing so. It prevents you from allowing your magic to flow the way it used to. It's a good thing, but it also stops you from doing something that was once so natural to you. What if knowing who it is stops you from going with the flow and then connecting with your destined person?"_

 _Lily slumped on to the bench, her eyes filled with remorse. "Sev … I'm sorry. I didn't even think of that. Oh... what if I..." She leant forward and rested a hand on his arm._

 _Severus shook his head. "It's fine, Lily. Just promise me you won't take it."_

" _I promise, Sev."_

§§§§§

Severus Snape, feared Professor and Potions Master of Hogwarts glared at the first years as they settled down for Welcoming Feast. He glanced at Harry Potter at the Gryffindor table, the boy's thin face showing awe and an excited smile as the huge platters of food magically appeared, only to sneer and return his attention to his plate. Deep in his heart, an organ many would say he didn't possess, he could feel Harry making himself a home there. It felt like he was under a warm blanket, settled on his sofa with a good book, and a hot cup of tea – only better. It felt like he had finally found home.

Severus served himself and stabbed the slice of roast viciously. _'It was a real potion.'_ He had begun to doubt it as nothing triggered it for the past sixteen years. Part of him believed he was to go through this life with no one, part believed that Lily's potion didn't work, and now after all these years, it finally activated, and for the worst possible person. This was going to affect every one of his dealings with the boy. It was going to make it harder to be cruel to him, harder to watch him fight the Dark Lord when his time came. _'At least I'm naturally abrasive. It might save us both.'_

Mentally cursing his luck, he tucked into his meal.

§§§§§

"Really, Severus, just a simple answer would suffice." Minerva leant over her desk, fixing a frown on her face.

Severus paced the length of the room once again before returning the look in spades. "Simple answer? Do you honestly think that there is a simple answer?"

The Headmistress' look said she did, and Severus knew she was right, but would never tell her so. No, even now, after the war, he was a contrary person. He kept his face blank as Minerva deepened her frown.

"Honestly, Severus, it's an easy question. What do you want for Christmas?" Her 'just think' was heavily implied, but luckily unsaid. Both of them knew Severus would act poorly to it.

Severus' eyes narrowed as he thought, his entire focus directed into his head. It was nearly like stepping into his own mind. Moving through his compartmentalised mindscape, he tried to find an answer to her question. His immediate answer was one that would shock and possibly irritate the Headmistress. Not that doing either of those would bother him, but it was his secret, one he guarded jealously.

His mental feet walked a well-worn path, stopping almost by habit at the section of himself that contained what he thought of as his Dark Side. It was the section of his personality that made him such a good Death Eater – one that Voldemort never questioned. _'It's amazing I don't have multiple personality disorder. At least, I don't think I do. No one says I attempt to go by different names, nor do I have memory lapses.'_

Leaving that thought and the locked off part of his personality, he continued on towards his Light Side. Stepping through the barrier, his breath caught and his nether regions were taking notice of the sight that greeted him. _This_ was what he wanted for Christmas, something he would or could never have. His Harry, his Imp, smiled at him and Severus wondered if he was wearing anything besides the long socks. It was hard to tell with the way the man was sitting. His muscular legs were crossed and he was holding a red stocking – a Christmas stocking – in a manner that covered his bits and his arms covered his hips. Everything Severus was capable of seeing was bare except where the socks were, and he let his hungry eyes run over every inch of the man.

"Why are you sitting like that on the cold floor?" Severus' tone was abrupt, scolding even, but the green eyes just flashed with amusement. "Really, Harry, you are not adequately dressed for the dungeon's temperatures."

That comment brought a smile to the other man's face. Yes, a smile. This was his Gryffindor. He had watched the real boy grow up, studying his expressions and mannerisms. He has secretly enjoyed the courage that defined him as a hero, the spirit he had shown, and the loyalty that was the thread holding him together. The Harry who had lodged himself into Severus' heart had grown as the real boy had and had gained the traits of the real one, both good and bad.

"I'm a wizard, Severus. Warming charms do work," Harry laughed.

This was what he wanted – to be with someone who could handle his personality. The lights on the tree next to Harry caused his bare skin to glow in patches, drawing Severus across the room. He wanted to brush his fingers from one patch of light to another across the lightly tanned skin.

"Severus."

Severus glanced about, attempting to see what or who called his name. Seeing nothing, he ignored it. His fingers ghosted over Harry's shoulder and into the unruly black hair. Laughing green eyes were watching him, inviting him, as he leaned closer. Their lips lined up with the ease of practise.

"Severus Snape!" A hand hit a desk, the sharp sound yanking his attention back to the room.

Severus glared at Minerva while mentally scolding himself. He knew better than to visit Harry while in public. Luckily his coat hid any physical reaction to his thoughts, though he couldn't be sure if his face was lightly flushed.

"Easy, yes, but it's something that would be very difficult to grant," he snapped. Harry was not interested in males as partners. The boy had only dated girls while at school, and the tabloids told nothing about his preference changing.

"That's to be expected." Minerva huffed, "Just say it."

"My freedom." Severus watched as surprise flitted across her face. "My freedom from students, from teaching, from papers to grade."

She compressed her lips before sighing. "You're already retiring at the end of the year."

"True, but every time it comes up – anytime a replacement is interviewed – you and the rest are derisive about it." Severus paced about, stopping to glare at Albus' portrait who was conveniently asleep before whipping about to face the Headmistress. "You're not granting me my freedom, you are begrudging it."

Minerva sank into her seat, her hands resting on the desk top. "Very well, Severus, I'll grant you your freedom, but you have to promise to visit."

Severus raised an eyebrow, but nodded after her stern look. There, Harry would stop scolding him for leaving and would have a warmer place to traipse around in unclad.

"Good, now what present do you want under the staffroom tree. Give me more than one option."


	2. Potions Master, Lost and Found

_Potions Master, Lost and Found_

"Harry," Draco stopped him before he could enter the office. "Pickering's quit."

Harry felt his heart drop into his stomach. Pickering was supposed to have the results from the tests on their potion sample – the one clue they had that could give them a direction in the case he was currently working on.

"Did he give a reason?" Harry peered through the door, glancing at the rest of his small department, hoping for a positive answer. "Or a replacement? Or ran those tests before he left?"

Everyone shook their heads no. Heaving a sigh, Harry knew he had to track down the man to get some answers, or the very least the paperwork filled out.

As he left, a chorus of 'Good luck' followed him and one 'Pick up some candy' that sounded like Terry.

§§§§§§

Severus knew he wasn't the best person: his manners were abrupt, his words cutting, and his attitude left a lot to be desired. It took a special type of person to be around him for even a short time. His once fellow professors were divided into those who could handle being in the same room with him hours at a time to those who couldn't even pretend to take his abrasiveness for even a minute. Dumbledore had been one of the two people in his entire life that dealt with his personality and didn't let it bother them. Lily was the other, but in the end she had also fled from who he was.

As he would be inflicting his presence on the castle's occupants at Christmas time, today found Severus in Diagon Alley looking for some other company besides his own. His eyes scanned the area before resting on the small restaurant that catered to Potions Masters – very specifically to ones who worked in the many research firms. Potions Masters travelled from everywhere to come to the Phial and Plate. They could talk shop, bounce ideas, and enjoy themselves. Throughout his long years at Hogwarts, Severus had dreamed of walking in there and doing just that. Of being able to interact like his former colleagues had amongst themselves. To that end, he had studied Minerva, Filius, Pomona, and the rest, watching to see how they talked, tilted their heads, the expressions they made on their faces, how they helped each other with drinks and ideas. He tried to emulate them, but it was hard and when he was stressed – which was most of the time he was there – he couldn't be bothered.

Once his freedom had been granted to him he had considered working with a research team, sharing ideas with other like-minded individuals, coming up with new theories and devising cutting edge techniques. At first the companies were justifiably concerned with his previous alliances, but the Maverick Firm took a chance on him. During his two month stint in the firm's labs he had been placed into every team only to cause a meltdown of their working dynamics. None of the researchers could handle his personality. He gave a mental snort. ' _I've too many years outside of the formal research lab setting, too many years coming up with ideas, developing potions, and testing them on my own with only Albus, Poppy, and the Dark Lord as my judges. Of course, that is the reason that Samuel Maverick hired me – to work with the potions that everyone else had given up on. My ideas are radical, my techniques are so different from anyone else's, my thoughts are organized differently.'_

In the end, the firm gave him the choice of being a solo researcher at his home lab since the owner didn't want to lose Severus or what he could create.

The isolation inherent in his position was more than his one as spy and professor. At least at Hogwarts he had students and other professors to interact with on occasions. _'Students – another reason I think differently than the researchers. They've never had to decipher just what happened in a third year's cauldron that caused the child to end up in the Infirmary while a Healer was desperately waiting on the answer, or council a NEWT student in their potion creation without obliterating the upcoming Potions Master's drive and creativity.'_ It was this isolation that drove him to seek out this restaurant, but one look had him wanting to turn about and go aggravate a few Aurors in the hopes that they would attempt to arrest him. Yes, questioning by the DMLE sounded like more fun than talking to the men and women he recognized through the glass door. Huffing lightly to himself, he wondered if Tom up at the Leaky Cauldron would be better company. At least the man grumbled and growled at Severus instead of flinching or turning a cold shoulder to him.

The restaurant's door opened as Severus was turning to leave, and the person walking out of it gave him a pause. Brilliant green eyes and unruly black hair were a clue as to who it was, but it was the sudden glow of recognition in his heart, the section where the boy lived, that clenched it. The inquisitive voice in the back of his head questioned why Harry Potter was walking out of the Phial and Plate. It was that question that held him there as Potter approached him.

"Professor Snape, sir," Potter beamed up at him. "Do you have a moment?" He gestured towards the alley between the restaurant and the neighbouring building.

Habit had Severus looking about for anyone who could see them, but his ingrained need to know had him stepping into the small space with his former student. Severus would swear it had nothing to do with that ready smile, or the broad shoulders and narrow hips, nor the overall sturdy look of the young man. And absolutely _nothing_ to do with the way his heartbeat picked up as Potter came closer to him.

The muffling spell almost brought a smile to Severus' lips, but he was well practised at keeping it from showing. It was nice to see his own spells being used. "I'm no longer your professor, Potter. What do you need?"

Potter leant against one of the brick walls as he scowled at the building – the restaurant – across from him. "Pickering has decided to leave, leaving us in a lurch. No one in there will work – they're as bad as Pickering. No … imagination, no ability to think outside of the standard patterns."

Severus refrained from nodding in agreement with Potter's assessment even though he wholeheartedly agreed. Instead, he mocked him, using his most scathing tone. He didn't see the need to pass up the opportunity to be contrary. "Those are some of the most brilliant Potions Masters in the business, Potter. They have imagination – they're researchers. Mayhap you just can't understand them, potions was never your strong suit."

Potter's chuckle warmed his heart. The way those green eyes – so very unlike Lily's now – crinkled up in the corners, almost hidden by the frames of his glasses, told him that Potter wasn't hurt by his words. It was like talking to His Harry. Severus wondered how long it would last, but chose to enjoy it while it did.

"True, which is why we need a Potions Master. Pickering didn't even tell us he was changing positions – that he was hired by some fancy research firm that was going to take him out of the country." Potter jerked his head towards the restaurant. "I tracked him down to here when he didn't show up this morning. Not the best place or time to be told he was resigning."

Severus raised an eyebrow. "You had no inkling of his dissatisfaction? Or that he was planning on changing his employment?" As the young man shook his head, Severus smirked. "It's now clear why you did not succeed as an Auror, Potter."

Even as the words escaped his mouth, he knew there was a lot more to Potter's decision not to continue down that career path, but the gleam of amusement in Potter's green eyes told him his statement didn't cut the man too deep.

"Well, it's over and done with. I even asked about while in the place – it's filled with Potions Masters like you said – but they're pretty dull." Potter's eyes widened. "You were going in there, weren't you? Sir, you can't." Potter leant forward off the wall, his expression beseeching. "You'd be bored out of your mind by time you crossed the threshold. Everyone was talking in hushed whispers, not one eye flashed, not a single glare was exchanged, not even a smirk."

"They're sophisticated men and women, Potter. Not a bunch of children running about, attempting to outdo each other." Severus had no intention of telling Potter that he was absolutely right in his analysis of the situation.

Potter shook his head. "I know you have to be right about that, but … no. I think you need a bit more … animation to your dealings."

Severus folded his arms and his body became completely still. How this man learned he was a closet adrenaline junky was beyond him, but he was not going to confirm the impression.

"I was wondering, sir," Potter stepped forward, his weight evenly resting on his feet. "I saw you as I left the place and just knew you'd be perfect. I know everyone can handle you, if you will do it."

Severus waited a moment for Potter to explain, but no explanation was forthcoming. "Perfect for what?" the words were bitten out. He would worry about the handling later.

Green eyes narrowed in contemplation before an answer came. "We're not exactly a secret group, but our presence isn't advertised. We solve mysteries – not cases for the DMLE nor the stuff the Department of Mysteries look into – no, we solve the things that could become DMLE cases if they were just a bit more … dangerous. We need a Potions Master for most of the cases, but more than that, we need someone who can think – who can see their way through convoluted shadows. But, at least for one of our current cases, we need a bloody good Potions Master. If you could see to help us through this one, I'd appreciate it."

"Out of the kindness of my heart, Potter?" Severus sneered to cover his interest. He didn't care about the potions part – his life seemed to revolve around those. It was all people ever seemed to want from him. No, the part that caught his attention was the convoluted shadows. Those were intriguing.

Potter snorted. "No one would accuse you of that, sir. We would have to get you hired on at the Ministry and then you'd be paid for the effort."

Severus knew he shouldn't be considering it, he did have two projects in the works right now, but he was. "I'm busy with research. If I … condoned to solve your mystery, would I be able to use a lab to continue my research while I have nothing else to do?"

Potter nodded. "Of course, we had the same arrangement with Pickering."

"Then I shall help you, Potter, until I am bored. Provided you can get the Ministry to hire me."

§§§§§§

Harry couldn't help the smile that filled his face. Snape was going to be working with them. He accepted the 'Until I am bored' comment knowing that the man would most likely not get bored any time soon. Most of their cases were tiny mysteries that were hard to crack, and there was one thing he knew very well, Snape like to solve mysteries.

He led the way out from between the buildings and then stopped. "Before we head back, I need to stop and pick up some candy." If that comment had really been from Terry, he couldn't just put him off till later. Terry's brain ran on sugar. It was a phenomenon that was well documented in their little group. Harry waited, knowing – more than that – anticipating Snape's snarky come back.

"Sweets, Potter?"

Snape's eyebrow rose at just the right angle. Hermione had explained to Harry it all had to do with facial muscles and their attachments and nerves, but it didn't matter. Snape had the right eyebrow raised – it could do so many things. Ask questions, demand answers, and as it was doing right now – condescend.

"Yes, sweets. One of my partners requested I pick some up while I was tracking down Pickering."

"Should we pop off to Honeydukes? Slip into the Toothache – or as they call it, the Sweet-tooth? Dart off to the Fudge Pot?"

Harry shook his head, doing his best to hide his grin at the sarcastic tone. "No, I think I saw a street vendor making old fashioned hard candy just down this way. We can stop there and I can purchase some."

A scoff was his sole answer as Snape stalked down the alley, his robes billowing about him. Harry caught up and couldn't keep the smile off his face as people scattered, some literally tripping over themselves, to get out of the Potions Master's way. _'Definitely a perk.'_

When they stopped next to the vendor's cart, Harry realised that Snape had known exactly where it was, and noticed both he and the vendor acknowledged each other. Filing that observation in the back of his mind, Harry looked over the display set up to tempt even the most strong willed person. There were hard mints, soft mints, chocolate covered everything sweet or salty, ribbon candy, butterscotch, cinnamon candy, and a multitude of things he had never seen before. He reached for the ribbon candy and some butterscotch, but stopped when a thin hand touched his.

' _He touched me. Snape willingly touched me.'_ Even his mental voice sounded in awe. Harry knew he was staring at the thin fingers that gently tugged his hand away from the sweets. Giving a small shake of his head, he reined in his desire to keep that hand there no matter what.

"What are you doing, Snape?" Harry was glad his voice didn't sound too breathless.

"Michaelmas is putting you together a special box." The words were soft and when Harry glanced up, he could see the man was watching the vendor.

Harry couldn't help but stare, his eyes wide, when he saw how Michaelmas pulled melted sugar into ribbons and formed them into many shapes. Small flowers, the standard ribbons, tiny animals, and even golden snitches were shaped all by hand. Each only took a couple of minutes. These were carefully set into a large box with a sampling of many of the other sweets.

"Here you go, sir." Michaelmas placed the box on the top of the cart in front of Harry. "Have a good day."

Harry called out to him as he turned. "How much do I owe you?"

He noticed the man's brown eyes dart to Snape before returning to him. Harry didn't have a chance to see if Snape's expression had changed. "Three sickles, sir."

Harry could plainly see that the smaller boxes the large on was sitting on cost four sickles. He drew in a breath to start complaining.

"Pay the man what he asked and stop being a dunderhead, Potter," snapped Snape.

Harry didn't need to turn his head to know a glare was boring into him, he could feel it. He dug the sickles out and passed them over while promising himself to find out what just happened.

Snape picked up the box and walked off with Harry trailing behind.

§§§§§§

It was only two hours later Severus found himself following Potter down a narrow corridor deep in the heart of the Ministry. He swept a look downward over Potter's trim rear and then up again, taking in the set of the man's shoulders before studying the hallway they were in. He had learned a long time ago to ignore the fine shapes of men around. Admittedly it was slightly harder as this particular man did hold a corner of his heart hostage, but he was never one to wear said heart on his sleeve, or anywhere it could be viewed.

Potter pushed open a narrow door and waved Severus in. A quick glance showed a moderately sized room with two doors leading out of it besides the one they just came through. In the middle of the space was a large square table, which Potter placed the box of candy on, and along the walls were filing cabinets, baskets, and shelves. Standing about the table, were three others, their faces in various expressions of disbelief and happiness – the latter belonging to Terry Boots as he was looking at the candy. Ronald Weasley and Draco Malfoy both were shooting looks between him and Potter. He swept a glare over them while Potter started speaking.

"I found Pickering – he's quit to work fulltime at some research place. I ran into Professor Snape as I was leaving the Phial and Plate, that was where Pickering was, and he agreed to help up. We just finished up the paperwork. I'll get the Oswald case's file if one of you wishes to show him the lab." Potter crossed the room to one of the doors, opening it up to reveal a short hallway with a multitude of doors in it.

Weasley stood up and after searching his face, opened the other door. "Professor, it's in here."

Severus didn't move from his spot. "As I informed Potter earlier, I'm no longer a professor."

Boots spoke up, a sugar spun flower in his hand. "What should we call you then, sir?"

Severus studied them for a long moment before crossing the room to where Weasley stood. "Snape shall work for now."

The three nodded and he glanced into the lab. It was neat, clean within an inch of its life, just as he would expect a research lab to be, but it was arranged differently than he like. It would only take a moment to rearrange the cauldrons and such, but if the ingredients were stored in the same Continental Fashion it could take hours. Dismissing the reorganization from his mind, he decided to find out what the Oswald case was.

"I know, Snape," Malfoy shook his head while Severus closed the lab door and approached the table. "Nothing in there is in the proper place. We'll all help in getting it right, if you want."

Severus raised an eyebrow, his tone only a touch condescending, "It's correct for a research lab on the Continent." He stopped next to the table. "I'm to assume the Oswald case is the one that needs my help?"

Potter nodded and pushed a file towards him. "All the information is in there, but the basics is that there's a shop in Knockturn that is having problems. The anonymous reporter said that when a patron bought something from Oswald's Collectables they're compelled to use the item they purchased. This hasn't gone to the Aurors since the owner has curbed the products that he sells to the less harmful variety, but we're trying to help. Pickering collected a sample of a beverage the owner tends to serve his patrons, and was testing it." Green eyes glared at the closed lab door. "Well, he was supposed to be testing it today."

Severus flipped the folder open and came face to face with Ollie Oswald's handwriting. Of course, none of the others would know it so the anonymous letter was just that to them. To Severus it was a plea from a very worried shopkeeper. He knew just what type of merchandise the man typically stocked. The store was the place to find the rare and not so rare Dark Arts gems which he sold to honest collectors and researchers. Ollie was far more ethical than Borgin.

"If he collected it yesterday, then it won't be fresh enough to give an accurate result," he growled while scanning all the information in the file. Four pages in and he looked up at them. "Not one of you have talked to the store owner, or gone into the establishment? Only Master Pickering, and he was only there to collect the beverage? How can you expect to learn anything?"

Weasley leaned back in his seat and glanced at Malfoy. "Draco and I are working on a different case. Boots was on holiday until today, so he doesn't know what is going on, and Harry stands out and would draw attention to the store. Possibly negative attention seeing as it's in Knockturn."

Potter nodded. "I've been all about the place, but didn't go directly to the store or into it because of the way people were watching me. I'm too much of an icon for the Light, that those there will shun the place, I fear. Pickering went since no one really knows him."

"Pickering obviously was not good at collecting information of this type." Severus tapped the folder. He considered complimenting Potter, Weasley, and Malfoy, but quickly brushed it away.

All four of his companions rolled their eyes as they nodded. Potter added a verbal response. "We know. I told you he had barely any imagination."

Severus raised an eyebrow. "I believe your words were 'no imagination', Potter."

Malfoy chuckled. "That's a better description than barely any – the man couldn't understand half of what we were working on. All he seemed to understand was potions."

Boots nodded. "He was brilliant with them, not with putting circumstantial evidence in order."

Weasley snorted. "He couldn't tell circumstantial evidence from hard evidence."

"Then he will be a poor researcher." Severus flipped the folder closed after he finished skimming over the last document. "I'll go out to Oswald's and collect another sample as the last one was... improperly handled."

With that he swept out of the room, his day a bit brighter. There was a group of people who seemed to handle his personality. At least for now.


	3. Additions

_AN: Thanks, many of them go out to Yen for taking this one under her wing. It is better for her attention._

 _Additions_

The denizens of Knockturn Alley barely gave Severus a second look and no one even blinked when he tested the perimeter of Oswald's Collectables for spells or potions. A hag did approach him as he reached for the door offering to sell him dubious potion ingredients, but it only took a glare to send her on her way.

It was habit that had him reaching for the small shot glass sized cup sitting on a tray that rested on the counter. Ollie always provided a drink for his customers, and it was a sign of trust to drink one. The metal cup was part of a set that prevented any poison from working, blocked hexes, and minimised other curses. Severus knew the man had eventually sold a similar set to Moody and wondered where it had gone to.

"Severus, don't!"

The snapped out words caused him to jerk his hand back and his wand to appear in the other. He quietly sheathed his wand when he spotted Ollie coming out of a back room.

"Why not? Are the cups not working?" Severus watched as tired, worried blue eyes darted from the drinks to him.

"No, they're working," the words were spoken quickly as Ollie crossed the room. The tiny man – just a shade taller than Flitwick – swallowed heavily as he stopped near the Potions Master. Cornflower blue eyes studied him before the Oswald shook his head. "I think they're working. I don't know... I don't know if it is them or something else." A shaking hand ran through the thatch like brown hair. "Can you … can you help me? There's a curse or something on the shop. It's the reason I haven't told you your book is here. If you … if you use anything in it, you could end up in Azkaban. I don't want that to happen, not to you or any of my other researchers."

Severus felt a small welling of satisfaction fill him. He had worked hard to keep a good relationship with this particular man and was glad to see it paying off. "I'll look into it. What do you think it is?"

The man straightened up, his face serious and his eyes showing their sharp intelligence. "I think it's a combination of potion and spell. I just don't have the knowledge to determine if it is or not. Especially since it might be connected to me as well."

Severus studied Ollie before turning his attention to the rest of the shop. "Where do you want me to start?"

"With me." Ollie flicked his wand, locking the store up tight and causing the sign to read closed.

Pulling his wand, Severus began. Once he was done with the shopkeeper, Ollie led him through the rest of the store and allowed him into the back. He checked tables, shelves, and finally they checked the ale that Ollie brewed for his guests. Severus took samples from the cask – making sure not to disturb the liquid too much as Ollie told him that it changed colour and consistency when he moved it to the bottles. He was given a bottle, and was allowed to take one of the metal cups after he preserved the drink into one of his collection vials. He also insisted on taking samples from the material bins that Ollie stored the grains and such he used to brew the ale with.

With all the samples and information collected, he left after reassuring Ollie that there was no curse connected to him and that he would get back to him soon.

§§§§§§

Severus strode into the small ministry office intent on getting to the lab quickly to run the tests before too much time elapsed. His steps faltered when he spotted the new addition to the room.

The colours pink and white were the first things he noticed. He blinked and the pink resolved themselves into feathers even though they were pretending to be branches and leaves. Tucked about the tree were small white birds. A shudder ran through him before he could suppress it. Tearing his eyes away from the monstrosity that was attempting to be a Christmas tree, he continued towards his lab.

Weasley stopped him before he could touch the door handle.

"You need to fill in these forms first." The redhead set a couple of pages onto the table top. "Then you can test whatever you collected. Rules and regs."

Severus glared at them, but understood the necessity. One shouldn't let the information get stale in your head if you could help it. The liquids were under a stasis spell and should keep for another hour at least. Without a word he sat down, his back to the creepy white bird on the top of the tree, and began writing.

There were a series of boxes at the top of the form that needed to be checked off and filled in – time, date, who you were, where you were, and the like – and then a large blank section to write in what happened. Severus went through five of the forms before he finished writing all he had learned and did in his neat tiny script. He then filled in the second form Weasley pushed towards him, the log of evidence and their purpose. Once that was finished, he sealed a top corner of the information pages together – a spell he devised to work much like a muggle staple – and set the log sheet on top of them. Weasley had left him alone, so he headed into the lab. He had an interesting problem to solve and a horrific tree to escape.

§§§§§§

Potter came through his lab door, his easy smile filling his face, even when Severus growled at him to leave.

"I just read your report. That is a lot to get out of one meeting, thanks for going." Potter leant up against the door jamb.

"Someone had to get accurate information, and I needed samples." Severus refused to look at the man, he didn't need the distractions while he was titrating the different beverage samples. He needed to be alert for the first change in the solution.

"The others and myself still want to help reorganize the lab, as a thank you," said Potter.

"You could get rid of that tree." Severus waved his free hand, the one not holding his quill, back towards the main room. "It's an eyesore."

Potter's laugh sounded too much like his mental Harry's one for his peace of mind. Severus clenched his fingers tight around the quill, being careful not to snap it.

"It's Draco's tree. Mrs. Malfoy gave it to him last year and it has lodged itself there." Potter stepped into the room, shutting the door before he crossed the room. "He thinks it's a better option than putting it in his house."

"I'm sure Malfoy has plenty of rooms he can hide it in. I'll point that out to him when I see him next." Severus risked a glance to make sure Potter wasn't too close to any one of his current tests. He growled as the messy black head blocked his view of his work space. "Potter, move."

The young man jerked back and smiled up at him. "I've never seen anything like that before. None of our previous Potions Masters ..." He trailed off as he waved at the titration set up.

Severus could believe it. He had to transfigure the burets and volumetric flasks, which he then had to test to make sure the graduations on them were correct. Luckily, he had enough experience with the muggle glassware to make them correctly. Still, it was a perfect opportunity to grumble and he tried not to ignore those. "I wouldn't expect you to have, Potter. Your choice of Potions Masters left a lot to be desired. They appeared to be suited for only basic research."

The flask on the right – the ale from the bottle – had a bright green colour form on the surface where the drop from the buret landed. Severus quickly stopped the flow and recorded both the colour and the amount of titrate that had been added. The flask with the ale from the cask changed next, and the one from the magical cups took another minute. As he was doing this, Severus was acutely aware of Potter standing almost against him, watching every move he made.

"Potter, leave, or put yourself to use." Severus stopped when he realised he had nothing for Potter to do.

"I can organize the cauldrons and such, or should I start with the ingredient closet?" Potter reached under the lab bench and rested his hand on one of the large cauldrons, his gaze resting on Severus.

"The equipment. I need to examine how the closet is designed before I can determine how to set it up." Severus stalked to the other side of the lab and began his next test. Out of the corner of his eye he watched and groaned to himself as Potter bent over, showing off trim legs, trimmer rear, and the length of his back. _'Focus! This has to be done tonight.'_

Locking his attention on his cauldron and the materials near it, he began the next test.

§§§§§§

Harry crossed the main room of their unnamed department. He knew one day the Ministry would get around to naming them, but until then they were happy, they were able to do their job without being pulled here and there. Kingsley Shacklebolt and the Heads of the DMLE and the Department of Mysteries knew they existed and that was enough.

Glancing at the table, he raised an eyebrow before shaking his head. Biscuits, sugar ones cut out in Christmas shapes with coloured sugar on them, were in a box from some place he didn't recognize. He suspected they'd started in the middle of the table, but Terry had pulled it over to where he was going through all the new case files sent to them. Wondering who brought them in, suspecting Draco, he continued on his way to the Potions Lab.

Terry looked up from selecting a bell shaped biscuit and called out to him, "The door glowed red when I touched the knob about five minutes ago."

Harry shot a questioning look at Draco, silently asking him what that meant. The blond shrugged, so he touched the knob. He jerked his hand back when the door glowed yellow, and he checked his hand to make sure it wasn't glowing as well.

Ron grinned, "It was blue when I touched it earlier, red for Terry, and yellow for Harry." He waved to Draco towards the door. "Your turn, let's see what your colour is."

The door opened as Draco was starting to stand, and Snape walked out. One glance took in the looks on their faces, and he snapped. "Spit it out, and don't let it be a dumb question."

Harry wondered at the flash of amusement that was quickly smothered in his eyes before answering. "The door changes colour. Red for Terry, blue for Ron, and yellow for me. So, we were wondering if Draco had a colour, and what the colours meant."

Snape smirked before letting it fall into a frown. "You have never seen this alert system before?" He continued when they all shook their heads. "Blue means all is clear – no one is in the lab. Red – danger if you enter be very careful. Yellow – caution, be careful when you enter. Green – occupied but not dangerous, enter respectfully. The colour has nothing to do with the person touching the door." He crossed the room before looking back at them as Draco sat back down. "I'll be back after lunchtime."

Draco called out as he opened the door, "Can you take a moment and look at our case for us? It needs a fresh pair of eyes."

Snape shook his head no and walked out, the door shutting softly behind the man's billowing cloak.

Draco gave a deep sigh and pulled his and Ron's case file closer. "Honestly, it would've only taken a minute the way he reads."

Harry stared at the closed door before joining them at the table. "Let me look at it again and see what I can make out. I'm obviously not going to get my questions answered any time soon."

§§§§§§

Severus ran a hand through his hair before tucking the right side behind his ear. A sigh escaped his lips as he studied his notes while sitting at his dining room table, trying to figure out just where he could tweak the process to make it more … normal for the brewers of Mavericks. This was the hard part of his job, the part that made him think the hardest, but it was also the part that made him the maddest as well. _'Why can't they just learn to brew it the way I developed it?'_

Forcing a growl to remain locked in his throat, he ploughed on. He had to finish this soon, as he promised the Department that he would be back after lunchtime, and he always kept his promises. He would have worked on it there, but to make his mind deconstruct and reconstruct what he perceived as easy into a more complicated pattern just for a group of dunderheads who refused to learn something new, he had to be home.

Why home? Because it was the only place he felt comfortable wearing his fuzzy warm socks. They were black with dark grey checks on them. Albus had fallen in love with them the first time he spotted them. Severus was now the proud owner of multiple pairs now thanks to several years' worth of Christmas presents. They might have been from a Secret Santa, but Severus knew who they truly came from. Wiggling his toes, he reached for the eggnog – not spiked as he had to think – and tried once again to determine what changes to make.

Playing in the background was his favourite Christmas album. _Tennessee Ernie Ford's Christmas Special_ was one he listened to continuously throughout the holidays. It had once been his Mum's – she had it shoved in the back of her collection – though he had no idea how she acquired the American singer's album as most of her records were British bands. He loved the melodious sounds of the man's bass and the religious nature of the songs, they soothed him. It didn't hurt that his mental Harry expressed his love of the songs as well.

Writing out his new directions, he listened to Harry sing along with _'Little Boy King'_.

§§§§§§

"Snape, just tell us where to put what, draw us a guide, something." Harry leant against the lab's green glowing door jamb, watching the Potions Master stir a cauldron. "We're more than willing to clean up the ingredient's storage and put it up correctly."

And they were, too. All four of them had left for a late lunch, giving up puzzling over Draco and Ron's case and in need of answers before he could continue on his. When they came back, Snape was already in his lab and the door glowed red when Harry touched the handle.

Draco had flipped open the case file, which was exactly where they had left it, and found a page of notes written in Snape's distinctive handwriting. Harry had quickly looked in his file and found the answers to his questions also there. Terry, Draco, and Ron went to check out the paths that Snape's notes opened up, and he was left alone in the office with the man.

Being there alone with him and nothing he could do at the moment was not a good idea. For as long as he could remember, he wanted Snape to say something nice to him, to praise him. He had learned during his first year to recognise the cloaked compliments that sometimes slipped from between the man's lips, and the more frequent looks that changed before one could even blink. Those signs of approval fed a hidden section of his soul, one that never gave up liking the dark -haired professor from the moment their eyes had met at his first Welcome Feast at Hogwarts. He had spent years ignoring that part of him even as his maturing body protested, especially through the last year of the war, but ever since he learned of the man's true allegiance, he couldn't help but listen. And the tales it was telling him left him hard and aching more than once. His sixth year wet dreams were back but only stronger. He craved Snape's hand on him, to feel those long fingers caress him, just as much as he craved to do the same to the man. This need to do something had brought him to where he was now. He only hoped that working in the Ingredient Closet would both be close enough yet a distraction.

"Honestly, I can get started while everyone else is checking out the leads and ideas you gave them." Harry stepped closer to Snape, and forced himself to stop his hands from reaching out to touch those shoulders. He wouldn't dare go for the fingers as they were wrapped about a stirring rod. _'I want to touch him like_ _he did me in the Alley at the confectioner's booth. I want to feel his skin under my fingertips.'_ Shaking those thoughts out of his head, he leant against the counter, putting himself directly into Snape's line of sight. "I know you have to be tired of it."

Black eyes glared at him, but a strange warmth was hiding beneath the surface again. "I will provide directions later, Potter. Now, leave me be. I need to complete this potion."

Harry almost took a step forward, lured by the heat that gaze sparked in him. Instead, he flashed a shaky grin and headed out. He would find something to do outside of the office. It was safer.

§§§§§§

Severus gave a full body shudder when he heard the outer office door closed. Potter was becoming too similar to Harry. He wanted to touch the younger man, feel that smooth skin under his fingers again, and watch to see if those green eyes darkened like his Harry's did. His mind played out the entire scene for him, his Harry stepping into the role of Potter easily.

The sound of boiling liquid jerked his focus back to the cauldron. Working quickly, he neutralized the immanent explosion. Swallowing harshly, he scrubbed a hand down the front of his robes, pressing down on his aching erection. The image of Potter wearing the expression he had worn just moments ago as he leant against the counter, surfaced in his mind, making him jerk forwards into his hand. He yanked his hand away, he couldn't allow himself to think of the living Potter like this.

He _Vanished_ the rescued potion and began creating the guide for those four to use for the Ingredient Closet.


	4. What's Your Food

_What's Your Food?_

It had taken almost five days from the day Severus joined to solve the Oswald case.

Severus and Harry verified that it was what Ollie had expected – a potion and a spell. Luckily, there was none connected directly to Ollie himself. The spell had been on his receiving tables which tagged each item placed on them to make the purchaser compelled to use the item. The potion, on the other hand, had been infused into the bin storing his ale ingredients so that when the ale was ingested, it made the purchaser susceptible to the spell on the tables. That part had mostly been determined by Severus after his initial visit and the test he ran. The part that took so long was finding out who did it, and how to neutralize it.

Once they figured it out, Potter and Boots sent the Aurors out to arrest the culprits and explain the cure to a small group of Healers at St Mungo's while Severus helped Ollie clean up his shop. During all of this, Severus never spotted Malfoy or Weasley, and that garish tree stayed in the corner of the office, the bird on top staring at his lab door. He regretted not talking to the boy last time he saw him.

Putting the finishing touches on the project that Maverick's Firm was waiting on, the second to the last he had to complete by the end of the year, Severus sealed his journal and shrunk it to fit in his pocket. Ollie had given him the potions book he had ordered long before he had taken up the case. It should contain the information he needed for his other potion project. It was time to head home – that particular book was not one he would bring into the Ministry.

Stalking out of the lab, he stopped abruptly as heads swivelled and four pairs of eyes focused on him. He ignored all the others for a pair of grey eyes. Snarling, he gestured towards the offending pink feathered thing. "Mr Malfoy, remove that tree from the premises. It's an eyesore."

Malfoy shook his head. "No, Mum charmed it. It has to be where it can be seen by me most of the day or she'll know."

Severus raised an eyebrow. "Surely you know how to break such a charm?" He glanced at the others in the room. "Or maybe one of your co-workers could figure it out?"

"Breaking it isn't the problem, but Mum …" Malfoy glared at the table before turning his now pleading gaze on the others. "Mum promised she wouldn't serve the cheese fondue at Christmas if I did anything to the tree besides put it up and follow her dictates."

Boots nodded, his fingers brushing over the almost empty box of candy. _'I brought that_ _just_ _this morning. Just how much sugar is he eating?'_ Severus watched as the other two accepted the reasoning. He huffed – cheese fondue wasn't even all that good in his opinion. Certainly not worth the tree.

"It has to stay, Snape," Potter's voice was contrite but firm.

"Do you even know what cheese fondue is? What is tastes like, Potter?" Severus watched as they looked at each other.

Potter shrugged. "It doesn't matter. It's Draco's chosen food, so we'll leave the tree for him."

"Chosen food?" Severus knew his eyes widened as the other nodded.

Malfoy gestured towards Boots. "Terry needs the sugar – his food is sweets. Ron's is pork roast, though a beef one will do in a pinch. Harry's bread – almost any type, but he loves it fresh."

Severus looked from one to the next, trying to call to mind any memory that would prove Malfoy's statement. He never watched Boots enough, but he had a vague recollection of the Ravenclaw constantly eating sweets. He knew Weasley loved food as much as any teenage male who was trying to make it to above six feet but never noticed his fondness for roast pork. He did know both inner and outer Harry loved bread, though.

"We didn't know what Draco's was, but now we do. Cheese fondue." Boots mused. "I wonder what it tastes like?"

' _The tree's staying.'_ Severus held back the resigned sigh and headed for the door. He had work to do still.

"Do you think they'd have any?" Weasley addressed his question to Malfoy who nodded, his eyes brightening as he answered.

"I'm sure I've seen it on the menu."

"Snape," Potter called out as he turned the doorknob. "You're coming out to dinner with us, right?"

Severus stared at the four, not believing his ears. "You want _me_ to go with _you_?"

All four heads nodded. Potter smiled, "It's tradition. We all go out for dinner to celebrate a case solved. The Oswald case was solved because of you. We were right, it took a Potions Master to figure it out."

Severus studied each of them carefully. They handled his rudeness at work, but to seek out his company in a different setting was something he didn't expect. He could credit it was due to the speed he helped to solve Ollie's case, but that still didn't account for the anticipation he could tell they were attempting to mask.

"Very well," the words were spoken slowly and Severus could see their masked glee. "Where are we going?"

"Vinito's," Harry bounced to his feet, his green eyes bright, making Severus' heart beat faster. "It's an Italian place down near the end of Diagon Alley. It's where we normally go."

Severus nodded once. "Shall we go then? I do have work to complete tonight."

§§§§§§

Harry leant against the table edge, peering around at the waiters and wondering when one would come their way. He knew that Draco, Ron, and Terry were all waiting as well. The waiters here, though on the whole nice, had attitudes that needed adjusting, and they all knew that Snape was the one to do it.

A tap from three long fingers had him quickly settled back in his seat, and a glance around the table showed the rest had too. A grin flashed across his face at their trained reflexes – that was Snape's signal in class to move away from your cauldron if he was being nice. He would just tap the table and you had better be sitting in your chair or face the Potions Master's wrath. Not even the Slytherins ignored it. Harry looked over at Snape and wondered once again why his heart was set on this man. They had worked together as equals for the last week, and Snape still treated them all as if they didn't have a brain cell to rub between them. Those dark eyes watched him, though, and he could see a flash of warmth in them before it was smothered under icy … not disdain, but something.

He started when the menus smacked onto the table, but he couldn't help being happy that he was watching Snape's face at that moment. The full force of the disdain there was focused on the waiter who actually gulped loudly. Those eyes then swept over him and the others before Snape's cold, silky voice softly questioned their sanity.

"You actually come here regularly?" The cold gaze pinned the waiter in place. "With service like this? It's better at the Leaky Cauldron, or even Bettman's down a little further."

Harry did his best not to smile at the cringing waiter. Yes, Snape was in his element, and it was fun to watch his ire being poured out on others. "The food here is worth it."

The dark gaze scanned the room, obviously checking out the food on the other tables, before returning to Harry. "If you think so. I, personally, am not willing to give it a try."

The waiter only gathered the courage to speak to them when Snape looked at the menu. "Your drinks?"

Ron and Terry both ordered a red wine, Draco ordered honey mead, and Harry ordered a white wine. The waiter looked at Snape's downturned head, waiting nervously. Snape, true to form, kept the man standing there, ignoring him.

Harry finally took pity on the man and leant close to the Potions Master, brushing his fingers against the black sleeve covered arm. "Snape, he's waiting on your drink order."

Dark eyes flashed up from the menu and one eyebrow raised. "I did state I wasn't willing to try, what part of that's hard to understand, Potter?"

"Come on, Snape," Draco broke in. "They're all right. The service just leaves a lot to be desired. Pick a drink, or I'll order something."

A glare hit the blond, but then Snape looked at the waiter. "Water, no ice."

The entire table froze as the waiter stared at him, his mouth almost hanging open. "Are you sure, sir? There are plenty of excellent wines, mead, bitters, and liquors available if you would check the back of your menu."

Snape glared at the man. "I placed a simple order and you question it?" Dark eyes flashed over at Harry. "Are you sure you wish to eat here? The staff is obviously simpletons."

Harry nodded as the waiter scampered off. "The chefs are good. Now, I would recommend the tortellini, but Draco prefers the lasanga, Ron likes the chicken parmesan, and Terry likes the fettucini."

Their drinks and a basket of bread was sat on the table quickly, and the waiter stayed near Draco who was as far away from Snape as possible.

"Are you ready to order?"

Harry listened as the others ordered their favourites, just as he did, although Draco also added an order for cheese fondue. Then they all turned to look at Snape, wondering just what he would get.

"A Caesar salad with no dressing and grilled chicken on the side." The order was enunciated very clearly, all of his former students recognizing the tone as one he used with the slowest of his students.

After the waiter left, Harry watched as Snape's black wand tapped the water glass, causing it to glow a light blue before it was transfigured into a teacup, and the water turned piping hot. A teabag appeared from inside the man's robe and the familiar pyramid shape was immersed into the liquid.

"Snape, what type of tea is that? I've never seen it before." Terry's question brought home to Harry just how removed the Muggle and Wizarding World was. "It smells good, and I like the depth of colour."

Harry caught the amused look that flashed over Snape's face before it was suppressed. He jumped in before Snape could start in. "I'll bring some into the office, Terry."

Snape shook his head slightly and said in an almost pleasant tone, "I can bring it in tomorrow, Potter. Don't put yourself out for it."

Harry blinked and then stared at Snape while he sipped the tea black. "We can ask them for milk and sugar."

Draco answered instead of Snape. "Don't bother, Harry. Snape always drinks his tea black."

"Tea is Snape's food, then." Ron grinned at them as he snapped a bread stick. "He brings his own teabag, can transfigure a perfect teacup, and wordlessly heat the water to the right temperature to steep it correctly."

The others nodded while Snape calmly sipped his tea.

When the waiter returned, he stared at Snape's new cup before he served the cheese fondue. Draco used a long skewer to dip a piece of bread into the melted cheese and sampled it.

"Not quite as good as the one we have at Christmas, but..."

Ron's slight humm muffled by the bread in his mouth stopped Draco's comment. "If it's better than this, then the tree can stay. Can't have you missing out on something that good."

Terry dunked in a piece of bread, sampled it and agreed with Ron.

Harry grinned as Snape growled low in his throat. He smiled at the man, making sure to meet his eyes, hoping to see that elusive warmth once again. "You can hide in your lab to avoid it."

"I'll be sure to do so, Potter."


	5. Maverick's

_Maverick's_

Harry stared at the edibles that filled their table before returning his attention to the note sat on the corner. Draco, Ron, and Terry were also looking between the mound of food and the almost scrap sized piece of parchment that seemed to go with them.

 _I will be out of the office for the next several days._

 _You should be capable of working without me until_

 _then._

 _Severus Snape_

Harry's gaze swept over the boxes. Two of the logos he recognised – one was from the hard candy vendor on Diagon Alley and the other was always on the biscuits boxes they'd been enjoying most of the week. The boxes with the former held more sugar creations and the ones with the latter held a wide assortment of biscuits. There were three other boxes. One held small slices of bread coated in cheese, another held scones with bits of meat in them which Harry was willing to bet was roast pork, and the last one held soft dinner rolls warm enough to still be steaming.

"Snape brought in the sugar biscuits?" Terry glanced at Draco. "I thought it was you."

Draco shook his head. "I thought it was you."

Ron picked out one of the savoury scones and bit into it, his blue eyes widening in surprise. "These are good. I wonder which bakery they are from?"

He peered at the obscured logo while Harry sampled a fresh roll. "I don't know, but we'll have to ask him later."

Terry spotted another box sat next to the teapot. "He remembered the tea as well. PG Tips?"

Harry grinned. "It's a common Muggle brand."

"I'll make us a pot to go with all this." Ron gestured to the table. "Then we need to prove him right."

The group nodded and started their morning.

§§§§§§

Severus wiggled his toes inside his fuzzy socks, happy that his boots he used in his home lab were broke in enough he could wear them while working. The last twenty-four hours had had only a few hours of sporadic sleep, but his last potion was ready for the Firm's stamp of approval. Packing this one and the one he finished at the Department's lab into a carrying case, he tucked his notes scrolls in with them on the off chance they were asked for.

In less than a minute he was in the front room of Maverick's Potions Firm. The receptionist waved him through, obviously not wanting him to be in the waiting room – she kept looking about making sure the other people there were not disturbed by his presence. Scowling, he swept back to the normal meeting room. He didn't have to wait long before Samuel Maverick, the firm's owner, and Nick Stephens, Head of Research and Development, joined him.

"Master Snape," Stephens nodded once towards him, the gesture encompassing the potions' case, his tone filled with surprise. "You're finished with the next potion?"

Maverick's dark eyes glinted slightly, making Severus happy they weren't twinkling. The man's hair was the same shade that Albus' had once been, and though he was shorter and had darker eyes, the twinkle combined with the man's intelligence would have reminded Severus too much of the former Headmaster. His high-pitched tenor was another thing that resembled Albus. Many people discounted Maverick because of his lack of height and depth of voice, but Severus had never been one of those. He knew how hard the auburn haired man had fought to keep him with the firm when the Company's Board of Directors wished to dismiss him. Maverick and he had quickly become like him and Minerva. They understood each other and did enjoy seeing people underestimate the other.

"All the ones you have asked me to work on are ready for your approval." He opened the case and pulled out the two vials, setting them on the table. "If they meet your specifications, I will write up how to make them."

Maverick picked up the first one while Stephens looked at the one he completed sometime that morning. They both observed the colour, the smell, and Maverick taste-tested his.

"Only one drop will keep your breath fresh for twenty-four hours," Severus said before he looked over at Stephens. "That one had shown to be quite a potent improvement to the current version of doxicide. Further testing will be needed of course."

Both men set the vials back on the table while Stephens frowned. "Testing would happen faster if you would just give us your research notes on the day you bring these in. I don't know why you don't."

Severus pulled the scrolls out of the case and handed it to him. "Here."

Stephens took them with a smile. "Thank you. I'll take all these with me. Mr Maverick wished to speak with you."

The thin grey haired man walked towards the door, stopping with his hand on the knob to turn back to Severus. "You're welcome to come to the Christmas Office Party. It's in two weeks, on Saturday. You don't have to bring a gift, or be part of the Secret Santa as you're not here often, but I know there are some of us who would like you to be there."

Severus glanced at Maverick before frowning. He had attended Christmas Parties before and survived. He'd check with Maverick to see if it would help his standing with the Firm's Board. "I will see what my schedule is like."

Stephens left with a wave, and Severus turned to Maverick. "Should I come, or would it be more detrimental to my standing with the Board?"

The auburn haired man chuckled. "As long as you don't pretend to be their Secret Santa, I think it would help. They could see how the other researchers avoid you."

Severus sighed and placed the day on his mental calendar. "What time and where?"

"At seven o'clock and I've rented out the Phial and Plate. Most of our Potions Masters are comfortable there and know the food."

Severus refrained from rolling his eyes and hoped the service was better than Vinito's.

Maverick gestured for Severus to follow him. "I'm glad you finished you task list early, Snape."

They turned down a very familiar corridor. Severus glanced from it to the other man. "Surely you can hand me my next assignment in your office or in the room we just left."

Shaking his head, Maverick's dark eyes watched him as he spoke. "A new group has formed inside our research division. None of them have studied at Hogwarts, and they all expressed an interest with working with you."

Severus bit his exclamation behind his teeth. He didn't want to join a group, and for once it had nothing to do with working with the dunderheads. Instead, it had to do with wanting to keep his days free to work with Potter's group. If he was here, he couldn't be there, and Potter was there. True, he was attempting to figure out how to keep Harry and Potter separate, but he didn't want to _not_ see him. "It hasn't been successful before."

"You need to establish that you can't work with them as well, or the Board will revoke your ability to work alone." Dark eyes pinned him. "I worked too long and hard to have you a part of this Firm and I refuse for them to get rid of you. Even though you have only been a member for half a year you've succeeded in creating several potions that other groups could not. Other research firms have noticed, and three have approached me personally about releasing you from your contract."

Severus snorted lightly. His contract was currently a spoken agreement between him and Maverick, his previous one invalidated months ago. "No one has talked to me. The only person who has approached me has been a department of the Ministry, which I need to tell you I joined just over a week ago."

Maverick stopped suddenly and spun about. Outrage touched with a bit of fear covered the man's visage. "What?"

"There is no conflict of interest, and I've no desire to end either association." Severus quirked one side of his lips up. "I'm helping a very small group who deal with tiny mysteries. I run basic potion detection tests, create or determine cures if need be, and help to solve the mystery."

"You're capable of working with the people in this department?" Maverick's fear was winning out over his outrage.

"We … have a working relationship, yes. All four of them have had me as a professor. They also leave me alone to work on the potions." Severus continued, his tone clipped. "It's nothing like working with a research group."

The fear melted away, leaving a small smile in its place. "Ah, so they're not helping in the lab?"

Severus shook his head no.

"And you wish to continue this association?" questioned Maverick.

Severus narrowed his eyes before nodding. "They grant me time to work on my research for here, and don't attempt to interfere with my potions work there."

Maverick flashed him an understanding grin. "I'll include it in your contract that you can work with them. What's the name of the department?"

Severus fought his smile into a scowl. "The dunderheads haven't decided on one, but the paperwork said I was working in BMPW Department."

With a nod, Maverick studied his face before speaking. "Now, you need to go annoy another group who wants to have your name attached to theirs."

He continued, moving through the twists and turns easily until they made it to the last research lab. Both stopped when they heard a loud female voice inside, her last words were understandable.

"Let's go get some eggnog!"

Severus glanced at Maverick who waved his fingers at the door handle. The smell of cinnamon was heavy as Severus reached for the door handle. The back of his mind started searching for what the group could be researching using the spice. Severus distractedly stepped through the door, letting Maverick follow him. A movement caught his attention, and he spotted the blonde who was the owner of the lightly accented French voice – she was the only female in the room. The three men in the room stopped cleaning up their spaces and turned their way.

"Mr Maverick!" A tall brunette moved forward, holding out his hand towards the owner. "What brings you to our lab?"

Maverick shook the man's hand before directing their attention towards Severus. "Master Snape stopped by today, so I brought him down." He turned slightly towards Severus. "Master Snape, this is Master Santos, Mistress Brun, Master Schmidt, and Master Fitzroy."

Severus ignored the offered hand, a scowl firmly on his face as he swept a look over the counters, noticing the cinnamon brooms hung over each of their stations, before returning his attention to the Potions Masters. "Mr Maverick, wash your hands. Now, preferably."

As the white haired man walked quickly to one of the sinks near the door, Severus continued, his tone condescending. "Master Santos, do you _not_ know laboratory safety? Or are you _imbecilic_ enough to think it doesn't need to be followed? You should _always_ wash your hands once you've completed clean up – until then you _never touch anything or anyone_."

Brun looked back at the counters. "We weren't using anything dangerous."

Severus rounded on her, his glare sharp and his tone sharper. "And you think that is a _good reason_ to _ignore safety_?"

With a raised eyebrow, he pointed to Santos' station. "If you'd care to observe the materials at Santos' area, you will undoubtedly notice the combination sitting around it has a potential of causing a _number_ of minor and _not_ so minor illnesses."

The others looked before shooting puzzled looks at Severus. Santos spoke up this time as Maverick returned from the sink. "There's nothing there."

Severus' eyes narrowed as a frown crashed over his face. How could they not see the jimson weed, the flummox weed, with the bobotubor pus next to them was a problem? He had seen what that combination could do. He had created cures for Madam Pomfrey for what those things could do. Those three alone would give him pause, but the cinnamon broom had shed onto the surface – the debris was there even though Santos had washed it down, and that was an ingredient Severus was not positive of its effects when combined with everything else.

Maverick stopped Severus from speaking. "Laboratory safety is always a priority no matter if you see the danger or not. This is a researcher facility, we know new things are discovered all the time." He waited until the four in the wrong dropped their eyes. "You wished to work with Master Snape."

Severus caught the furtive looks passed between them. His normal behaviour was putting off another group, but this time he was happy about it.

"I believe you should take a moment and let Master Snape know what your group is currently researching." Maverick folded his arms as he waited for the speaking to start.

Severus' aggravation grew the longer he waited. The four kept glancing between themselves but none were speaking. Finally, he hissed out, "Speak, and then you can go for your eggnog and whatever else you'd planned. The longer you dawdle the more time you're wasting, and my time is too valuable for that."

Santos frowned but started speaking. "We've been assigned to discover a method to prevent scar tissue forming, or to disguise it by making it the colour of the person's skin."

Severus frowned slightly his mind already running through the multitude of potions and spells he created for Poppy through the years as well as the things the students accidentally created that he had to figure out. "What type of wound?"

"It doesn't matter," Schmidt said. "A cut is a cut."

"Unless poison was introduced there, or a dark curse caused it, or an infection has set in." Severus ticked off a few exceptions. "Each of those events would be treated with different spells and potions, which would interact with the wanted potion in different manners, possibly causing more scar tissue, discolouration, or the inability to heal."

Brun spoke up, "We wish to find _one_ that can handle all those situations."

Severus shot her a disbelieving look before asking scathingly, "And are you making progress?"

Fitzroy shook his head. "Only minor ones that work for a normal cut, nothing like the exceptions you named."

Severus paced for a moment before summoning quill, ink, and parchment. "A one potion panacea is not possible – not with what we know now, but you can create one that will allow you to modify it to work in all situations. In other words, make a base and let the Healers adjust it, or we could adjust it for different purposes and sell it to them. It would fit the requirements of your task."

"It's possible!" All four screeched at him. "We will make one potion that won't need modification!"

"You're truly foolish to believe that. Go on ahead and continue in this fruitless endeavour." Severus set the quill down. "You will be spending years creating new techniques and ways to use ingredients, and maybe succeed then if you're lucky. But it will be a long, long time and waste a lot of Maverick's resources. It's an endeavour suited more for a hobby project, not a work one."

"Snape, what were you about to write down?" Maverick asked as the group glared at Severus.

"Three possible ways of developing the modifiable base potion."

Santos' jaw dropped. "Three ways? Already?"

"You haven't done any research!" 

"You haven't even seen what we've done!"

"Your laboratory tells it all." A glare raked over them. "It shows an attempt to poison your patients, it shows your extraordinary lack of knowledge about ingredients and their interactions. Nothing safe would come out of here. The Healers would spend more time healing their patient from your cure than from the issue itself."

All four Potions Masters puffed up in outrage, their affront clear on their faces.

Santos spun about to face Maverick. "We refuse to work with such a person! This man... he's not a researcher – he doesn't dream. He cannot see what's possible and will destroy our vision."

The others nodded in agreement. Maverick waved Severus out the door. Once they were far enough away, the owner shot Severus a disbelieving look laced with admiration. "That was the fastest one yet."

"They've no tolerance for the truth." Severus gave Maverick an earnest look. "Double test everything that comes out of that lab. I meant what I said in there."

Maverick was agreeing when Stephens came rushing down the hall, Severus' parchment scrolls clutched in his hand.

"Snape, Mattson says these make even less sense than your normal ones. The notes you typically send in are understandable even if they don't understand whys and wherefores, these, though..." He thrust them towards the Potions Master.

Severus accepted them back, knowing smirk twisting his lips briefly. "Which is why I typically give my notes to you after you approve the potion. I need to know if it is worth the effort of rewriting them so Mattson and the others can brew them."

Maverick's laughter brought a grin to Stephens' face as he said, "Fair enough. Go write them over."

"You can also test those three ideas you had." Maverick continued out of the lab area. "I'll let the Board know you were once again rejected, and that you will be at the Christmas Party."

Severus caught the relief in Maverick's eyes and the resigned expression on Stephens' face. Both looks he knew dealt with the rejection, not the party.

§§§§§§

"I cannot go with you, Harry." Terry finished off the last segment of ribbon candy. "This time of the year, everyone is travelling, and Mum wants me to host my grandparents for the next couple of weeks – all the way through Christmas."

His aggrieved sigh didn't win much sympathy from Harry. It might have if it wasn't for the fact that this meant that he had to ask Snape to go with him. Harry shot a quick look at the closed lab door. It had been four days since the Potions Master left, and none of them had heard a thing from him. Harry was holding onto the hope that no news was good news as was everyone else. In just the week Snape had been with them, he had been more helpful than all the other Potions Masters they had had.

"You're going to go ask him?" Draco leant on his elbows, resting his head on hands. "Snape that is."

Ron's sympathetic look when he nodded yes didn't help Harry's confidence. It was one thing to invade the man's lab when it was safe but it was a totally different thing to invade his house.

§§§§§§

Harry stared at the opened door with mixed feelings. He had knocked on it, the knob turned, and the door swung slowly open like it did in those scary films that Hermione sometimes had him and Ron watch. It had even creaked. The space behind it was cloaked in shadow, looking gloomy and unwelcoming. He stood there vacillating between entering and knocking again when a disembodied voice, just as unnerving as the opened door, growled.

"Potter, get in here and shut the door behind you."

Dismissing all the memories of Hermione's films, Harry stepped through the most unwelcoming portal and rushed down the hall towards Snape's voice. The smell of tea and biscuits caught his attention before he made it to the dining room. Stepping into the room, he tried not to stare. Snape was sitting there without a robe in sight. He was wearing a dark blue pullover and black trousers with a collared shirt hanging off the back of his chair. Harry pulled his eyes to Snape's face before they could travel any further, looking for any signs of aggravation.

"Have a seat, Potter." Snape gestured to one of the chairs at the table as he stood up and left the room.

As Harry gingerly settled into the chair directly across from Snape's, he realised the man wasn't wearing shoes. There hadn't been a sound as he walked. Harry didn't see the cup set in front of him, he was too busy trying to reconcile the fuzzy socks on Snape's feet with what he knew of the Potions Master.

"The pot is on the table, serve yourself." Snape set another plate next to the teacup. "I'm sure you missed lunch."

Harry dragged his attention to the table, and stared at his plate. Two thick slices of bread were there, and he noticed the makings for sandwiches on the table near the teapot. He glanced back at Snape as the man sat back down at his place, parchment scrolls stacked nearby with a quill resting on a blotter near an inkstand.

"What are you working on?" Harry nodded towards the parchment.

Snape frowned at him until he began making a sandwich and poured himself a cup of tea. A sugar bowl, which by the clumps of sugar in it was used, and a small jug of milk moved next to him.

"I'm rewording my notes for the potions firm I work for." Snape picked back up his quill, obviously about to go back to work.

"Which one do you work for?" Harry took a bite of his ham sandwich, savouring the richly flavoured bread.

Black eyes glared at him, but Snape answered. "Maverick's Potions Firm. Samuel Maverick allows me to work in my own lab with my own methods."

Harry laughed. "That explains why you are rewriting your notes. We all knew you were too brilliant to be teaching – Hermione explained it to anyone who would listen. The very brilliant have a hard time dumbing down the material for those of us who just can't think the same way."

Amusement stayed on Snape's face as he looked back down at his work. "Why are you here, Potter?"

"It's a case." Harry sipped his tea, continuing before Snape could reply. "It has nothing to do with potions that we can tell, but no one else can go with me. Draco and Ron are still working on their case – they've almost finished, and Terry is housing guests until Christmas. Shacklebolt, Megher, and Duran all insisted that we can't travel on a case without a partner."

"It can't wait another day," Snape looked at the pile of parchments, "or three?"

"Sorry, Snape, but this one is almost to the level of a DMLE case. Megher wants us to look into it first since a team of Aurors would be very noticeable."

The quill was sat back down on the blotter and long thin fingers Harry was doing his best not to think about folded together.

"What is happening and where?" The words were sharp, but the intention to inflict maximum harm was missing behind them.

"Northern Scotland, a town in the Shetland Islands near Scalloway." Harry sighed as he tried to think of a quick summary. "Basically, there are people selling gingerbread men that cause people act funny."

Snape raised an eyebrow. "And no potion is suspected?"

Harry shook his head. "The DMLE already check for them, then passed it to us. Here," he passed the case file over to Snape after unshrinking it. "It's all in there."

Snape pulled it over and, after moving his parchment, set it before him and began reading. Harry slowly ate his sandwich, looking around the room. On a side table was the Diagon Alley's confectionery man's box, and the biscuit box was sitting near it. On the table was a small selection from both boxes on a plate near Snape. The teacup near the man caught his attention. Instead of black tea, it had milk in it. Even as he watched, Snape drained it dry while reading. A flick of a black wand had the teapot refilling the cup, and by feel alone, Snape added a spoon of sugar and poured a splash of milk into it. Three stirs, and he was drinking it.

' _I guess he doesn't drink his tea black.'_

Wondering why he did in public, Harry waited to see what Snape's answer about the case would be.

The folder snapped shut. "We will leave in two hours. Have your bags packed and met me here."


	6. Gingerbread Messages

AN: Once again, heartfelt thanks go out to Yen for taking care of this.

 _Gingerbread Messages_

Severus double checked his trunk,making sure he had everything he could possibly need. Closing the lid, he flipped the switch over and opened a new section to verify the scrolls and his stationary supplies were secured not only from spillage but from prying eyes and spells. He rarely ever took his notes out of his personal space. Normally they only travelled from his lab, office, or house directly to the Firm. Those trips typically lasted only a minute, so the notes were only outside of his and the Firm's protective wards for a very short time. This time, he was taking them on the case with him so he had lined the trunk with so many wards that it might trip the security alarms most hotels had in place.

Deciding he would just explain things to the hotel manager if he had to, he sealed the trunk with one more privacy ward, and picking it up, he headed down the stairs. Harry _'No - Potter, he isn't Harry.'_ should be here in a moment. He set his trunk in the front room, retrieved the case folder, sat in a hard back chair his mother had kept for unwelcomed guests, and read over it once again.

' _The gingerbread men that are the problem are being sold in multiple shops. The DMLE can find no connection between the shops. Not even the material suppliers are the same.'_

He looked at his luggage and sighed. It wasn't the difficulty of the case that was worrying him, no it was what the gingerbread men did. The Auror who gathered the information wrote there was no single reaction, but Severus could see one. Everyone seemed to act differently, but each of them seemed to be acting on their true emotions.

' _Harry and Potter are two different people.'_ He hoped to Merlin that he wouldn't be affected because he didn't think he had time to convince himself.

§§§§§§

With his Occlumency shields tightly in place, Severus portkeyed into the small hotel they were to be using with Potter.

Potter flashed him a smile laced with questions as they walked to the reception desk.

"We're reserved under Boots." Potter showed an ID card at the woman behind the counter and accepted the two keys she handed him.

Severus noticed they were from the same hook and bore the same number on them. Before he could demand his own room, Potter pulled him away from the counter and towards the stairs. Their room was on the first floor, so they only had to travel up one flight of stairs and down a short hallway. He waited until they were behind their now shut door before starting in.

"Are you a blithering fool, Potter?" he snapped as he flung his trunk onto the bed closest to the window. "Something in this town is making people show their true emotions, and you think we should be in the same room?"

Green eyes darted to him before returning to the bed furthest from the window. "It's Ministry policy, not my choice. As partners, we're to room together. It's the same reason we are under Terry's name – his isn't going to draw as much attention."

Severus felt his heart stutter at the word partner. _'No, Potter is NOT Harry.'_

Potter set his trunk gently on the luggage rack that was near his bed – the one he was looking at - and sank onto the bed before looking up, his earnest expression making it even harder for Severus to keep Harry from merging with Potter. _'Stupid! I should've said no to this case.'_

"We don't hate each other, we don't want the other dead or hurt." Harry said the last three words with a touch of uncertainty, causing Severus to nod reluctantly in agreement, "so we should be fine, right?."

Shields up tight, his face as blank as he could make it, Severus nodded again. He never said the words, he never explicitly lied, but the intent was there and he felt the weight of it settle on him. Squaring his shoulders, he trusted himself not to seduce Potter. He had succeeded in ignoring his own desires for years, he should be able to continue to do so. He had given into his wants and emotions enough by creating his mental Harry – that would suffice.

"If it becomes a problem, I shall acquire my own room." Severus straightened his cuffs and walked towards the door. "We have a mystery to solve. Shall we?"

Potter followed him out of the room, locking the door behind them and handing the key to Severus while stating. "It's the Christmas Travel season, there aren't many rooms to be had."

Tucking the key into his coat pocket, Severus turned on his heel and headed for the stairs. He knew if it came down to it, he would return home and Apparate or floo back each day. It would tax him, wear him out, but it was better than the alternative.

§§§§§§

Four days later Harry shoved his hands deep into his pockets. Severus walked next to him, his robe flowing about the man, hiding his body and showing it off, only to hide it again. The report said it was the gingerbread men, but Harry was feeling the effects of the … whatever it was… without consuming or even touching one. This morning he woke up with a very embarrassing problem only to be grateful that Severus was out of the room, allowing him to take care of the matter while still in bed. The Potions Master's name fell from his lips as he came. It was to the point he couldn't think of Severus as Snape any more. He wanted …

Stopping that train of thought, Harry tried to focus on what could be causing it. "Could it be in the air?"

Severus shot him a considering look, one that covered a warmth that Harry wished to understand. "It's possible, but why report that it was connected to just the gingerbread men?"

Severus' tone dared him to come up with an answer, a good answer. Harry frowned as he thought. His arm brushed the Potions Master's, sending a jolt of pure pleasure straight to his groin and he had to tighten his throat to prevent the groan from escaping. The man side stepped, opening the space between them.

"Can't think and walk at the same time, Potter?" The sneering words were said in a lower tone than Severus normally talked in: deeper, richer, and it almost pulled Harry back to him.

"It's the Whatever," Harry wanted to take the words back the moment they escaped his lips unbidden. He grimaced.

Confusion, surprise, and uncertainty flitted across Severus' face before it became its habitual blank mask. "The Whatever?"

Harry felt his checks warm, but nodded. "Don't worry about it, I'm in control of myself normally." He waved a hand in dismissal, wishing he had better control over his tongue. He could force his body not to listen to the outside source – it was weaker than an Imperius– but if he wasn't focused, then he lapsed sometimes. He head shot up and he stared directly into Severus' endless onyx eyes. "Could it be some sort of mind thing? Like the Imperius Curse?"

The man stopped in his tracks, his eyes blanking as his attention turned inward. Harry shivered as a frigid breeze blew over the frozen lake they were now standing next to. The longer they stood still, the more the cold seeped into his bones.

Sharp black eyes focused back on him and Snape growled, "As you have told me a number of times, you _are_ a wizard, Harry. Use a warming charm, it doesn't take much."

Harry cast one quickly and then stood there, one small part of him wondering when he had told Severus that. The other part of him was occupied with how Severus had said name, causing his heart to beat faster.

§§§§§§

It took several minutes before Severus realized just what he had said to Potter. Compressing his lips together, he struck off towards the centre of town. He wanted to look at the gingerbread men in the store window versus one on his makeshift desk in the hotel room, and then retire to think. He didn't need Harry or Potter bothering him while he tried to wrestle with what was going on.

The Imp that resided in the Light side of his brain, or maybe he still lodged in Severus' heart, appeared wearing the same robe that Potter was at that moment, dragging his mind inwards.

"We're the same person, Severus. I'm Harry Potter and he's Harry Potter." The robe slipped slightly, revealing a button up shirt.

Severus scoffed. "No, you're a mental construct used to keep my sanity where it is, and he's a man who has his life to lead, unsullied by what I think about."

The Imp scoffed right back. "You've said for years you have no idea how I was formed in your mind, that you didn't know exactly what that potion did."

Harry reached out and Severus was positive he could feel the brat holding his hand while pressing up against his side, and his breath teasing the exposed skin of his neck as he said, "I'm him, and he's me. He's wearing a jumper because it's cold out there. Let him close, Severus, let him."

The words faded, and Severus hoped that Potter didn't notice his body's reaction to the Imp. Harry never failed to get the notice of certain body parts when he wanted too. _'The robe should disguise it.'_ With the focus honed by watching annoying dunderheads brew, he paid attention to the world outside of his brain. It was becoming more and more difficult the longer they remained in the town. He stopped next to a window display of gingerbread men.

"Don't look at them," said a man leaning on the window facing the street. "They can ruin your life."

Severus raised an eyebrow at the man. "How?"

A woman on the other side of them snorted and shook her head. "They can make it better, too. Look what they did to mine. Jacob and I are together because of them."

The man scowled at her. "Well, my best friend and I had a falling out over an issue we both let go over two decades ago." He turned back to Severus. "The men, they move to reflect something inside of you. They show you supposedly what you want, so I looked at them. I was curious." He growled slightly, his eyes darting towards the window but shying back away from it. "They showed my best mate cheating with my girl – something that didn't truly happen but I thought it happened years ago. I got him to come and look, and he saw something similar, and we fought about it again. We don't know why! We buried that hatchet three days after the incident! Now, it's the only thing we can talk about when we see each other, when we write each other, or any other form of communication. These gingerbread men ruined what we had!"

Severus didn't look through the window. His curiosity was well honed, but also well controlled. "Does everyone see what you see when you look?"

The woman answered. "Jacob and I saw the same thing, but no one else could see what we were seeing." Her cheeks went a light pink, but she continued. "From what I can tell, only those who are connected by the issue needing resolved can see what the others are seeing." She turned to the first man. "Carl, maybe you or Thomas need to talk about what happened? There must be something unresolved there, something that needs healing."

The first man glanced back at the window, his gaze almost touching the biscuits. "We … we decided that we couldn't talk about it anymore twenty years ago, why should we do so now? It's water under the bridge – neither of us are with her, and we survived her."

"Maybe you just need to talk and let it go again? Reaffirm that you are both happy with what happened?" Harry's _'Potter!'_ voice came from behind him. He could feel the man peering around him, their bodies almost touching. Anticipation, warm and thick, filled him. The Imp's voice echoed through his mind. _'Let him in.'_ He almost gave in. He wanted to know what the real man felt like, what he tasted like, how he looked when he was aroused, what sounds he made while he was coming. Jamming those thoughts back before he was pulled back into his mindscape, he moved away from his temptation, ostensibly making room for the man near the window.

Carl snorted and rolled his eyes. "Neither of us were happy with the resolution, but we accepted it to keep our friendship."

Potter looked through the window and gazed with rapt attention at the gingerbread men. Severus watched as his pupils dilated, his breathing quickened, and his hands clenched. Green eyes jerked away from the display, and Potter swallowed hard before looking at Carl. "Maybe you should just buy a set of gingerbread men, go see him for a quiet lunch, and let them hammer out your issues for you. If they're doing what the lady here says, showing things that need to be addressed, then you two should agree not to let it destroy what you've created, but allow yourselves to air out your differences. Maybe your intent to keep your friendship will show through in the biscuits, and if not, maybe you can eat them."

The man laughed at that. "So, we just eat the problem away and go on with our life?"

Potter shrugged. "Might work. You both know that it is an unresolved issue, one that you have set aside in favour of your friendship, so just remind yourselves of that and don't let this thing win."

Severus glanced at the window, his eyes almost reaching the gingerbread men, but he couldn't look at them. There were too many unresolved issues in his life, too many loose ends that could never be tied up, he was afraid what it would show. The Imp's voice sounded like it came from near his right ear. _"Look, Severus, look! Maybe you can get the entire display doing something different. I want to see... please?"_

' _You're not real, you won't be able to see what happens.'_ Severus mentally growled at the Imp only to feel fingers, warm calloused fingers, caress the back of his neck and Harry's lips brushing his ear as the Imp replied. _"I can see what you can see, look and show me, Love."_

Biting back a small gasp of pleasure, Severus gave in just as he had known he would. He could never deny his Imp anything, and it was why he was here. Staring at the gingerbread men, he waited for them to do something, anything. His heart was caught in his throat and his mind was locked up as tight as it ever was standing before Voldemort. He waited and waited, and nothing happened.

Carl walked into the store and purchased four gingerbread men, and headed out. Severus could only assume he agreed with Potter's recommendation. Thinking of Potter brought his Imp back to mind, and his Occlumency shields weakened briefly. The gingerbread men began to move, all of them. He noted that whatever was causing this was using the person's mind, he watched so the Imp could see what they would do. The ones at the top morphed slowly into him and Minerva talking and laughing before he walked away, leaving her looking uncertain and alone. Others along the top turned into the other professors he had slightly befriended, all of them watching him walk away, their faces a mask of sadness drawn in frosting. Some of the middle of the display showed him interacting with people of his field – Potions Masters and Mistresses all giving him a cold shoulder and him returning it and the rest showed him the actions he regretted from his years as a Death Eater and spy. The bottom of the display was all him and Harry. Sitting and laughing, kissing, and in varying stages of sex. In all of them they looked happy, very happy.

Jerking his gaze away, he caught Harry staring at him, his eyes wide with disbelief. _'He's Potter, Severus, not the Imp.'_

Green eyes searched his face for a moment longer before Severus turned away. He needed to find out how the town was being subjected to a curse that could read minds and show things to you. He kept his head down, watching his steps, as he made his way back to the hotel. He would mull over what they knew while he worked on his potions notes. He was half way there when he detoured to the town hall.

"Severus, where are you going? Did you think of something?" Potter called out from behind him.

Severus spun about, his snarl trapped in his throat. He had not given Potter leave to call him Severus. The words would not form. Instead, he noticed that Potter and the Imp said his name exactly the same way. Changing the reprimand he had planned, he growled out instead, "Of course I thought of something, Potter. I do use my brain. Go to the newspaper's office and see if there are any reports of someone dying with a large unresolved issue fairly recently. Or news of an issue – a delicate issue – being aired out in public. I will be at the town hall, doing the same. We shall met back up at the hotel to compare notes."

Green eyes searched his face before Potter nodded. "Meet up in about two hours?"

Severus jerked his head in a quick nod and continued on. Now at least he wouldn't have Potter leaning over his shoulder the entire time. He needed the space

§§§§§§

Sinking into the tub, Severus was glad he picked the town hall to investigate. It hadn't taken him long to go through all the records available. It allowed him to return to the hotel long before Potter. While he was researching Severus realised he had not indulged himself with his Harry as often as he had before he began working with Potter. It was time to treat himself and the one private area he had at the moment was the bath.

Closing his eyes, he rested his head back against the tub wall and sunk into his mindscape. It took him but a moment to make it to the section that Harry resided in.

The Imp was curled up in an armchair near a roaring fire place, the light of the fire glinting off the bare feet and his glasses. Severus quickly crossed the room, his fingers itching to slide through the thick black hair and cup the back of Harry's head. It would be less than a second later he would be tasting those pink lips.

Harry's raised hand stopped him. "We need to talk, Severus."

Eyes narrowed, Severus growled, "Not now."

He reached forward, only to stop again when Harry shook his head.

"Now. I know you want me, I know … I know I need you as well. I know that part of this is the curse on the town, but Severus, we've got to talk." Green eyes shone in earnest as the words rushed off the lips Severus would rather be kissing.

Offering his back to his Imp, Severus crossed his arms over his chest as he glared at the small table filled with pictures, ones he had mentally taken over the years to share with the Imp, and bit out, "Talk."

He heard Harry moving and closed his eyes. He didn't want to see his own mental construct rejecting him.

"Severus, look at me, please."

A hand rested on his arms, fingers lightly brushing his chest. He shook his head no, but couldn't bring to move away. He never did have the strength to move away from his Imp.

A sigh gusted through the air near him and Harry started to speak. "You've got to believe that I'm not just a construct in your head or heart. I don't know exactly what I am, but I … know things – more things than you do – about outside Harry. We talked about that most of my school years. I'm the reason you were able to keep him as safe as you did. I could tell you where he was, what he was up to, what was happening."

Severus tightened his fingers around his upper arms, unable to deny a word that Harry was saying.

"You said I was the only reason you remained sane during my seventh year, and not just because I had finally reached seventeen and was legal."

A chuckle sounded, tempting Severus to look at Harry's face to see if it was a happy one or not.

"You know something is different about me. You have to, or you wouldn't have made us wait to consummate our relationship until I was seventeen. You would have given in when I was sixteen and begging you. I could tell you wanted to, but you didn't because you know I'm somehow connected with the outside Harry."

Severus eyes opened and he gave his Imp a half-hearted glare. None of this was new. They had hashed it all out during that horrible year that would have been Harry's seventh.

Harry leaned closer, his body inches away from Severus'. "Give the outside Harry a chance."

Severus scoffed. "He has the Weasley girl."

Harry shook his head. "No, you know I would know. Those two are only friends. No, he is thinking about you, wanting you."

Severus swallowed hard, staring down into those confident green eyes. "Why would he? He has everything out there – anyone who is anyone would want to be with him."

Harry quirked his lips up into a slight smile. "All but you."

Severus shook his head in quick denial. "You know as well as I do, that I want him. I … I..." He trailed off for a moment before a concerned look filled his eyes. "What will happen to you, Imp, if I do give him a chance. I … care for you, Imp."

Harry laughed. "I'll be here, waiting for you to pay attention to me. To tell you what you need to hear when you need to hear it."

"We don't know that, Harry. We don't know anything, not even the potion that made this happen."

Shoulders shrugged and the smile didn't fade from the face he was staring into. "Then you will be normal, and have to worry about how to treat him without me. But, just in case I vanish in about an hour from now, don't forget to get Maverick a Christmas present and go to the Office Party. Pick out something nice for Minerva, Filius, and the others and be there Christmas Eve."

Severus snorted lightly before opening his arms and pulling Harry into them. The kiss that followed was far from chaste. Harry allowed it but nothing else.

"You're turning into a prune, and Harry is heading back. He found things that will work nicely with your theory. Go talk to him and don't worry about me – I am him and he is me." Harry pushed him gently away.

Severus slowly moved back out of his mind and discovered the water had turned cold and his Imp was right, he was turning into a prune. Pushing himself out of the water, he dried off and looked at the clothes he had chosen earlier. They were his strictest ones, but with the Imp's words in his head and his unvoiced agreement, he wondered if he should wear something a bit more … soft. Dressing slowly, he prepared himself to talk to the outside Harry, wondering how to broach the topic. He wished he was a bit more like his Imp. _'Hopefully, Harry is right – they're one and the same. That would mean there's a chance of Harry bringing up the topic.'_

§§§§§§

The sound of the door closing pulled Severus out of his notes. Holding the quill over his parchment, he let his eyes run over Harry, looking for the reason he was later than he expected. The Imp had never been wrong before. The small box in Harry's hands told him what happened. _'The gingerbread men will at least give us an opening to our conversation.'_

Dabbing the quill off, he wiggled his toes to feel the fuzzy socks and stood to greet the other man. "Did you find anything?"

Harry nodded and set the gingerbread men box on the dresser before pulling up a chair to the desk Severus had transfigured. Leaning forward, he placed a stack of parchment in front of him.

Severus had to lean back out of Harry's space. His attention kept being drawn to Harry's lips, and the memory of the kiss from earlier. "My hypothesis is that someone passed away either wanting to reveal something or because something they didn't want revealed was. There's a few easy to find dark arts curses that could result in the occurrences that have been happening."

Harry sorted through his parchments while speaking, "Any curses that are not dark arts?"

Severus tipped his head as he considered the question, just as he would do with the Imp in his head. "One, but I don't know if it would be as effective."

Green eyes shot up and meshed with his. "How do you know that? Hermione would have to find a book to consult to make sure."

"I have a number of more years than Miss Granger to study and memorise them." Severus accepted the parchments Harry was absentmindedly handing him. Scanning the information, he shuffled his case notes and let a small smile curve his lips – he could, it was just Harry with him. "Found it."

Harry leant further across the desk, trying to read the notes upside down. "What did you find? Can we end it, or do we need to bring in the Department of Mysteries?"

"We can end it, but not tonight. It must be done at noon."

Harry darted a look at the gingerbread men. "You even know which curse they used?"

Severus nodded, tapping a section of Harry's notes. "It was ritualistically cast, leaving tell tale marks if you know what to look for. Luckily, a photographer took pictures of the scene for the newspaper. The death of Ms Sarah Boyens was not a murder, as it is noted on her file, it was a self-sacrifice for her curse. About as dark a piece of magic as can be, and easy to detect if you know it. Impossible if you don't."

Harry gulped, his eyes wide and his hands clamped together. "To cancel it, do we have to sacrifice something as well?"

Severus leant back into his chair, his eyes half-lidded in contemplation. "Yes, it's the way of these things. To know what sacrifice is required is the hard part to determine, but Ms Boyens made it easy on us. She is trying to have issues resolved – that was her wish. So, we will have to do so in public, in a ritual circle, in the same spot the original ritual was cast. She cast hers in the dead of night with a full moon, so we need to cast ours in the middle of the day, under the noon sun."

"But what are we going to resolve?" Harry chewed his lower lip, his fingers tightening and loosening around each other.

Severus glanced at the box. "I think the gingerbread men will tell us tomorrow. They will be needed for the ritual."

Harry shuddered, his eyes darting about, resting nowhere long and never on Severus. "Out in public? Where everyone can hear and see? It might not be a happy issue."

Unable to help himself, Severus leaned forward and brushed a finger along Harry's cheekbone, tucking a bit of loose hair behind an ear. "We are both fairly used to our business being everyone elses'. We'll get through it."

Harry gulped and nodded, green eyes wide.

Smirking just a bit, Severus locked up potions notes and headed for the door. "Let's eat dinner and then I have preparations to make."


	7. Rituals and Resolutions

_AN: Much thanks to YenGirl for taking this one and make it sooo much better. Enjoy!  
_

 _Rituals and Resolutions_

Sunlight had barely crested the horizon and the biting cold was trying to work its way through the layers of clothing Severus wore. He had spent much of yesterday evening travelling around London to pick up a number of small supplies to cast the ritual with – all of which were perfectly legal but many of them were restricted and/or rare – as well as to get permission for everything, including casting the ritual next to the lake near the centre of town. He met with Shacklebolt at almost eleven in his office and didn't leave until midnight. The Minister had studied their evidence, looked over the ritual, asked questions, and then gave him written permission.

Instead of returning to the hotel and attempting to explain everything to Harry - there was no going back to calling him Potter now that his Harry had convinced him there were one and the same, he slept at Spinner's End and rose at seven that morning to return.

Severus cast a notice-me-not spell and a repellent charm around the ritual site with a flick of his wand. Harry was supposed to meet him here, but part of him didn't want Potter to see the darker side of him. The Imp knew it, but he still wasn't completely convinced that one was the other. He tucked those thoughts deep into his mind, protected by his mental shields – or his split personality, one or the other – and began his preparations.

Laying bracken leaves around the site, he made sure the fern fronds laid so each leaf tip touched the stem of the next creating a wall that the runic magic could not leave, nor anything called up by it. After the last frond was in place, he used a blackthorn rod to draw the first of many runes into the ground just inside of them creating the first circle. Each layer of runes were sketched into the hard frozen dirt with a different wood, each offering their own magic to the what the circles were intended to do: blackthorn for discipline and perspective; rowan for protection and connection; ash, which he used to for the runes around his section of the ritual circle, offered wisdom and surrender. He used ivy to connect all the circles together, and it brought a measure of determination and patience to the feisty runes that were attempting to begin their purpose the moment they joined together. Even the bracken had a purpose – it magnified runic magic along with healing. He hoped that it would help heal the hurt he knew was coming for both of them.

Walking out onto the frozen lake, he used a pointed birch rod to carve the next complicated series of runes into the ice. _'Exorcism and purification. There's no better wood for this.'_ He had approval from Shacklebolt to use whatever means possible to end this curse as long as it didn't endanger any of the living populace. Severus had three that fit the requirement. The first one was the standard way of dispelling it, and the one he planned to use first. The second was what he was currently setting up, and the third required no preparations.

He looked at his watch as he walked off the ice, amazed to see it was nearly ten. Stepping out of the concealment charms, he caught sight of Harry rushing towards him, two steaming cups in his hand and a bag hanging off his arm. The sky that framed him was a threatening grey, but Severus knew that snow wasn't coming. He had learnt to read the weather better than any meteorologist long ago. Snow might make it in time for Christmas here, but he doubted it would fall by then in England.

"Severus," Harry thrust a cup into his hand and sat the bag onto the now warmed bench. "Aren't I supposed to help?"

Out of habit, Severus tested the cup and its contents for poison, potions, and anything else his paranoid mind thought of before taking a tentative sip of the hot water. "You are. You need to find out exactly where Sarah Boyens' grave is, and determine if it is truly her remains there. Do _not_ trust the stone, don't ask authorities."

He pulled a scrap of parchment out of a pocket and handed it to Harry. "Cast this spell – it would be wise not to let people hear you doing so – and it will confirm who is there. Once you determined her correct burial location, return here and let me know."

Harry pulled a sandwich out of the bag and unwrapped it. "You've one in there as well. Made at the hotel." He bit into the ham and cheese sandwich his happy sigh showing how much he enjoyed the crusty bread and the crunch of the lettuce.

Severus didn't even contemplate the offer. It was too late to test it unlike the water. "Be back here by eleven-thirty, Potter. I need to finish the preparations." He spun about and strode back the way he came.

§§§§§§

Severus filled in the different runic circles with the powders he had purchased last night. This counter spell reminded him of a dry potion with the number of ingredients it used and their precise application. Not too much, the rune had to be legible, and not too little, there had to be enough for the magic to work with. As he filled them from the inside out, his will alone kept the runes and their powered ingredients where he wanted them to be even as his robes swept over them.

At eleven-thirty he went hunting for Harry. He didn't have to look far, he could see the man walking his way, his eyes bright and a smile curling his lips. Severus refrained from asking what happened when the man joined him.

"The information," his tone was clipped and he spotted the flash of irritation before Harry answered.

"She's where her headstone says she is. The north-west corner of the cemetery." He pointed in the general direction.

Severus strode back into his ritual area, banishing the concealment charms as he did. "Come here, Potter. Don't worry about where you step, you can't hurt anything."

He glanced over his shoulder, spotting the trepidation on that familiar face as Harry crossed to him. He held out the birch rod and gestured towards the empty patch of ground. "Draw an arrow pointing directly to her grave. It needs to be six inches long from point to end."

Harry stared off in the distance before drawing the arrow into the ground. He handed Severus back the rod when he was done. Tucking it away, he added the ash created by burning thestral hair into the arrow, making sure his fingers had none left on them when he was done.

Drawing a small knife, he handed it to Harry. "This is a ritual that requires the participants to be here willingly. You must add a drop of blood to each of the points of the red coloured runes on the outer edge." He narrowed his eyes and spoke softly but succinctly, "Only one drop each, and on the points only, nowhere else."

He drew his own knife and added his blood to the same runes on his side. He finished before Harry, so he waited in the centre, mentally preparing himself for what was to come.

Harry finished and handed him the blade. "What's next?"

"Now we summon our witness, and then resolve our issue. Did you bring the gingerbread men?"

Harry nodded and pulled out a shrunken box, which he enlarged.

Severus pointed to a spot clear of runes in the centre of his work. "Set them there, make sure they are open and the runes are not touched. If you have to take them out of the container, then do so."

Harry placed four gingerbread men on the ground between them. They immediately began to cavort with each other. Turning a blind eye to both the gingerbread's actions and Harry's resulting blush, Severus moved to stand in a clear section of the runes and gestured for Harry to do the same.

"It's best not to be in touch with the lines when this begins. Once it's started, it won't matter where you are as long as you do not breach the outer ring of bracken." The glare that accompanied the last words was as much of a warning as he planned on giving.

With Harry was in place, he started the incantation. The Latin rolled off his tongue, the words flowing familiar though he had never spoke them before in this order. Power swelled around them both, giving off the smell of ozone, and the ground seemed to almost tremble with expectation. With a quick decisive motion, he pointed in the direction of Boyens' grave and called her spirit forth.

He could feel her essence resisting him, so he added a bit more power to it, drawing her out slowly. Sarah Boyens had to be present for the ritual to work. After another minute of dragging her to the circle he wanted her in, the ice cracked on the lake and a spout of water swirled high into the air. Cold mist formed on the outer surface. There was a pressure against his mind, and Severus held his Occlumency shields tight, not allowing the spirit in. When the water spout resolved into a throne like chair, he knew Boyens had pulled the image from Harry's mind.

' _She had to use the one not in charge of the ritual, leaving her in a less powerful position.'_ Smiling in his mind, Severus kept all traces of him being pleased at the outcome away from prying eyes as the mist coalesced into a translucent ice woman. She was very thin and her robe hung about her in a most unflattering style. He caught the flash of disappointment on the frost covered face and wanted to thank Harry for remembering her just as she was pictured in the newspaper. A quick glance assured him the bracken hadn't moved and the runes were still whole.

The ice woman folded her arms under her breasts, and frowned at them. "What's the meanin' of this?"

Marvelling at the flow of ice mimicking the movement of muscles easilyand the fog coming from her mouth as she spoke, Severus answered, "Ms Sarah Boyens, one month ago you performed a ritual at this site and sacrificed yourself to see it come to fruition. All analysis indicates that you wish people to reveal and solve their issues with others."

The mulish glare was sent his way.

"Mr Potter and I have agreed to reveal and solve our issue here, with you as our witness, as a means to end this … extraordinary blessing. The people here are not as appreciative of it as you expected."

With a hurump that created a small cloud, Sarah flounced back to the throne, sat down, and waved a hand towards them. "Then begin."

With a practised ease, Severus turned to Harry, ignoring the not quite dead person watching them. Harry showed he had less practice, but bore up well. Striding over the rune clad ground, Severus gazed down at the gingerbread men. One pair was arguing and the other was in the middle of sex – currently in his and the Imp's favourite position. One of their legs were wrapped tightly about the other's waist while being filled. _'I'm Occluding, this isn't coming from my mind. Maybe Harry was right – somehow they are the same person.'_

"Are you seeing what I'm seeing?" Harry swallowed heavily as he leant over to get a closer look at the biscuits.

"Of course I am, Harry," scoffed Severus. "How _else_ are we to resolve our issues?"

One of Harry's shoulders jerked up in a small shrug. "Which one do you want to start with?"

Dark eyes met bright ones. "Both, as they are intertwined. You know my personality ..."

"Leaves a lot to be desired on the kindness side," Harry finished for him, a small smile playing about the edges of his lips even though his eyes were serious.

"I find it perfectly fine," He waved the younger man quiet before he continued, "and this first pair is you learning to deal with it. It never truly put you off me – you were never scared of me, personally. You were able to rail all you wanted and knew I would remind you of just what your position had to be – that of a student. It was this … joining of our personalities that allowed both of us to make it through the war."

Harry raised an eyebrow, but then nodded. Those gingerbread men changed their actions, mimicking the second set now.

"The second part is just the end result of the first. We've a lot of passion between us," Severus blocked the memories of all the passionate times he spent with his Harry. "And we are capable of accepting and working with the other's personality. We're a perfect match, if your mother is to be believed."

Green eyes widened. "My mother? What does she have to do with this?"

Severus tilted his head just slightly, considering how he wanted to broach the topic. "She brewed a potion, which she had me take, that would help the taker to recognise their perfect match."

Harry gaped at him.

"You … you care for me? It's not just," he waved a hand at the cavorting pairs of gingerbread men. "And you've known about this since I was in school?"

"When I first laid eyes on you as you entered the Great Hall, I knew there was potential. Now? Yes, I do care for you, Harry."

Harry swallowed heavily. "I … I like how you talk to people – straight, to the point – even if it is a bit cruel. I care for you as well. I-"

Severus held up a hand, stopping his flow of words, and pointed towards the ground. The gingerbread men had turned back into their normal selves. There was no need to continue airing their personal lives in public.

Harry looked relieved and smiled at Severus.

Turning to Boyens, Severus narrowed his eyes slightly. "We've done what is required, end the curse."

The ice woman flowed out of her throne, a cold smile curling her lips. "I don't want to. I want more people to expose their greatest desires before me."

He caught the flash of worried green eyes as he moved to block Harry from her gaze.

"It doesn't matter what you want, your requirements were met, end the curse." His tone was even colder than hers, icy enough to freeze the air between them.

"Ha! You don't control me! No one can control me now!" She rushed to the edge of her circle. "I have you at my command. I know what you want, I know your secrets, I know your desires, I know _everything_."

Severus fell into his teacher stance out of habit more than anything else. In an implacable tone, he said, "I _despise_ people who do not complete their research before rushing into something, _especially_ when dealing with the Dark Arts." He paced a few steps, making sure Harry was still behind him. He was hoping she would focus her petty attempts of control on himself. "You know nothing about me that I don't want you to know."

She flicked her fingers, dismissing his words. "I can read your mind, I can see your heart."

"Really?" A smirk turned his lips. "Not that it matters. Now, you have two options. End the curse, or I will end it for you."

"You can't! There's no other way to end this – it's all my choice! Mine!" she screeched.

"Dunderhead: born, raised, and died,"scoffed Severus. "As I said, and I do _not_ like repeating myself, you didn't do your research, imbecile." He took a menacing stepped forward and hissed out, "I can end this quite easily – far easier than what I have done here. It's simple – I just need to end you."

Boyens stared at him and then began to laugh. "I'm dead, there's no way to end me. I'm done, and yet the curse continues."

Harry spoke up from behind Severus, his tone was more thoughtful than Severus' cruel one. "Your soul still exists on this plane, so you're still here. I'm pretty sure Snape can take care of that."

"Easily."

She turned almost translucent. "You wouldn't! It would tar your soul to destroy another being so thoroughly. You're far too kind for that!"

Severus let his shields drop enough to show his Professor Persona – the one he used every day until the Dark Lord was dead. "I can rend you apart and offer those pieces to Charon as payment. There's a ritual I wish to try but it requires a vial of water from his river. The ferryman may be amenable to exchanging some of it for the parts of your soul, with the correct compensation for the boat fee of course." He pulled seven gold galleons from his robe pocket.

Severus felt a slight pressure against his mind, so he let her see what he wanted. Picking the memory of a torture session with the Dark Lord, he trapped her and let it play through to the end. Boyens screamed almost as loud as the victims. Before he let her out, he thought loud enough for her to hear. ' _My soul is tarred already, this little bit won't change a thing.'_

His Death Eater persona came out, draping around him like a well-worn cloak. "Dabblers in the Dark Arts tend to forget that there can be something darker than them out there. If tearing you to shreds doesn't work, there are darker, more horrific things I can try."

Her face turned even more translucent than before, if at all possible. She rushed back to her throne, and cowed in it. "Fine, I will end the curse."

"Pity, I was looking forward to that ritual," said Severus airily as he tucked the galleons away. "Get on with it, or I'll do it anyway."

Raising her arm, Boyens sliced it quickly through the air as if severing something, and then she shattered into a burst of icy shards. The water spout throne turned into a fog that fought to cross the runes Severus had drawn. As it battered itself against the edge of the circle, the bracken held wall, and it slowly dissipated.

"Severus?"

Severus waved his wand, banishing the entire ritual setup. "Let's go home, Harry. We have a private conversation to hold."

§§§§§§

It hadn't taken long to collect their things and leave. Severus had told Harry to come to Spinner's End with him, and so they both appeared in an alley way near the house.

"Severus," Harry fell in step beside him, "how did you know there was potential between us? How was all that belittling and treating me horribly … sounding out that potential?"

"When we reach home, Harry," Severus frowned when it looked like Harry was going to interrupt. "I have no desire to put more of our personal business into the paper."

Severus was glad that Harry was quiet after that. He was trying his best to be nice as he did want to talk to the man. It was much like dealing with his Imp when they first started learning how to get along. _'Imp – you better be right. You're him and he's you.'_

' _I am, Severus. I know Harry and I are the same.'_ Harry's words filled his head as he banished his luggage up to his room. The feeling of home filled him, causing some of the prickly barriers to melt away. "You can set your luggage anywhere. We'll talk in the dining room."

He continued down the hall and crossed through the dining room to the kitchen. It was only a matter of minutes before the kettle was on the hob, the pot warming, and he was starting to fry up a couple of bird's nests. The little rounds from the centre of the bread were fried as well. Opting against bacon or sausage, he pulled two oranges out of the fridge and sliced them. By time the quick meal was done, the tea was as well.

Harry poked his head in from the dining room. "Do you need a hand?"

"Grab the teapot, I've got the rest." Carrying their plates out to the table, he sat them in the same chairs as the other morning. Harry set the teapot on the table, two cups dangling from his fingers. Severus moved the sugar to the table and retrieved the milk.

"Have a seat, Harry, and eat up." Severus fixed his tea, adding the sugar and milk to it, before he started.

"During the summer of our fourth year, your mother took it upon herself to brew a potion – one she said she discovered in the library here in town, though I've not since been able to find it." He took a sip of his tea and ate the round of bread, thankful Harry was listening while he ate. "She didn't tell me it was a potion when she gave it to me, just that it was a drink. I knew something was different the moment I drank it, and she confessed what she did."

Eating a slice of his orange, he studied the green eyes studying him. There was a subtle amazement behind them. "I was enamoured with your mother, she was my best friend – my only friend at the time – and so I would do whatever she asked. I learned after this not to do that.

"She said, after I drank the potion and asked her what it was, that it was a potion to allow us to find our match, to allow us to recognise who we're most compatible with. Then she added I'd know because that person would lodge themselves in my heart." He shook his head before continuing with his lunch and tale. "She decided that she wanted us to know before our fifth year so we wouldn't be expending extra energy figuring that out during our OWLs preparation time. I convinced her not to partake in the potion and I don't think she ever did."

Harry tipped his head to the side. "Why not? It sounds like a good plan to me."

Severus refrained from rolling his eyes, but the muttered 'Gryffindors' did escape his lips before he could stop it. "Meddling with emotions, possibly binding people together, tend to fall into the Dark Arts unless it is to seal a contract already formed and the method agreed upon by all parties. I … was wary that the potion would do more than she suspected, and didn't wish her to have the same fate."

Comprehension flashed over Harry face, and the younger man propped his cheek with a fist, elbow on the table. "So, have you learnt anything else about it? What did you feel when you saw me?"

Severus sat back, resting against the chair, his cup warming his hands. " _Listen_ when I speak, Harry. I said I haven't been able to find it." He lightened his scowl when the dark head dropped slightly. "Of course I haven't been able t o study it, and the only person I know of who has taken it is myself. I honestly thought it did nothing, that she brewed it wrong or was making it up, until you entered the Great Hall ten years ago."

His eyes closed briefly as he tried to remember what it felt like the first time. "You were queuing up before the Staff Table along with the other first years, waiting to be sorted. You looked nervous, yet excited. I felt warmth and felt you moving into my heart – lodged yourself there just like Lily said you would." He tightened his fingers about his cup before sipping the milky tea and looked across the table into Harry's eyes. "Not long after your first Welcoming Feast, you appeared in my head. It was before your first Potions Class. I growled and glared at you, and you – the you inside my mind - just shrugged it off and went on making yourself a spot inside of me. I thought you knew about it, but your first Potions Class proved to me that you didn't."

Harry's eyes were wide as he asked, "How?"

"I had told the inner Harry about the questions I was planning on asking and how to act at the beginning of my class. You couldn't answer them and didn't act right." Severus set his cup down and cut into his egg and toast. "From that moment on, I questioned if I had created Inner Harry. He always assured me that I didn't, and honestly he was able to keep me informed about what you doing, at least the dangerous things. Helped keeping you living easier."

Harry jumped to his feet, his fork clattering on his empty plate. "You...you really have a part of me in you?"

Severus raised one shoulder and let it drop. "I don't know, but the Imp says I do, but neither of us can explain it."

"Imp?" Harry echoed, looking taken aback. Then he seemed to realised it and looked torn between frowning and smiling.

Severus watched as Harry started to pace back and forth, his hands clenching and relaxing.

"You still speak with him … me?" Harry spun about, "You can right now be holding a conversation with another version of me, and I'd never know it?"

"No, you would know it, but yes – I'm still speaking with him … you, though not at this moment. He's the one that convinced me that you were interested in a relationship with me." Severus set his fork down, and tipped his head to the side. "Are you? Interested in a serious relationship?"

Harry swallowed hard, but he met his gaze and nodded. "I'm interested, but I don't know … I don't know if I can be him … your Imp. Knowing this, I don't know … know if I can be with you. I'll always be wondering about him."

Holding himself still, Severus just nodded. He knew that the potion could make this fail, that he, himself, could make it fail, that Harry could make this fail. He wanted it to work, but had never allowed himself the luxury of thinking it would. When Harry said nothing else, didn't move, he stood up. "We need to report into the Ministry. I need to let Shacklebolt know the ritual was successful and we need to fill in the report forms. Then I have to swing by Maverick's and turn in my notes for them."

He walked by the still unmoving man. "Sleep on it and let me know your decision by the end of a week. I will not pressure you. We can continue as we have, or, if you need me to, I will quit working in your department." He swung a cloak over his shoulders and faced Harry who was just starting to come his way. "I cannot change the past, Harry. What's done is done. What's to be is to be. I just ask that you let me know what that is." Turning on his heel, he Apparated away.

§§§§§§

Harry paced the kitchen in his flat, his attention darting between the dishes waiting to be washed and the thoughts roiling in his head like water in a boiling pot. Giving into the stack near the sink, he drew the water and began the evening's wash up. _'I left Severus to clean the lunch dishes by himself, and he cooked.'_

" _Don't worry about it, Severus would've been most upset if you tried to do them."_

Harry paused, the wash cloth and cup dripping water back into the sink. _'Who are you?'_

The voice didn't feel threatening nor unfamiliar, but he wasn't sure if he should be trusting it.

" _I'm you, and you're me. Severus kicked me out for the night, so I decided to see if I could hear me yet."_

' _You're … you're his Imp.'_

" _He does call me that, you're his Imp as well. Have been since your first year. We became Imp soon after we became the Seeker for Gryffindor. He just couldn't tell you that to your face, and he's been using it here recently to distinguish between the two of us since he started working at the Ministry. Now, finish the dishes. I want to try something, and we need to be sitting down."_

' _Woul_ _d… would_ _Hermione approve?"_

' _Severus would.'_

' _Give me a moment then.'_

Harry rushed through the wash up and decided his bed might be the best place to try whatever it was. It was a feeling he had – the type he trusted and followed.

' _Ready. Are you still here?'_

" _Yes, and this was a good idea. I was thinking of suggesting it, but wasn't sure if you would agree. Now, lay down and close your eyes."_

As his eyes drifted shut, Harry was shocked to see himself looking at him. The other him was standing in the endless darkness, dressed the same as he was. A small cocky grin filled Imp's face. Shaking his shock off, he shot the other an inquiring look.

" _I've been trying to convince Severus to let me try this since our seventh year. It'd have been the perfect way for us to keep up with the other and not lay a lot of unneeded blame. Oh well. Neither of us thought it would actually work."_ Imp waved off the words. _"My idea, and Severus thinks it holds a bit of merit, is that I should attempt to merge back with you. I think I formed when you reject the Slytherin side of you when you were Sorted."_

' _Severus knows I was supposed to in Slytherin? That I convinced the Hat not to put me there?"_

Imp nodded. _"He thought it was for the best considering who our housemates would've been. Any rate, are you willing to let me come back?"_

Harry nodded slowly.

" _Good, then here it goes – let's see if we can become one again."_

Imp closed his eyes and faded from sight. Harry waited to see if anything would happen, but all he did was fall asleep.

§§§§§§

Opening his eyes, Harry stared up at the roof above his head. It was weird having two sets of memories for a single time but it didn't feel wrong. It felt more like vague thoughts and feelings were finally defined. He liked the Imp's memories of the final year of the War better than his – at least the other got to share Severus' bed then and since.

' _Imp, are you still here or are we now just one?'_

Silence greeted his question. Sitting up and swinging his legs off the bed, Harry knew what he had to do.

His morning routine took half the time it normally did. Instead of flooing to the Ministry, he Apparated to Spinner's End, hoping Severus was there.

He stood on the front porch, wondering if he should just walk in. A part of himself – one that he had learnt to trust over the years and now recognised as Imp – said to. A small smile curled his lips. He had been learning from Severus for years, all filtered into him by his subconscious. Deciding to keep trusting that part of himself, he opened the door and entered a now familiar house. He knew the entire layout of the place and felt as if he was actually home, unlike how he felt in his flat. He let his feet carry him into the kitchen and start the kettle.

"Harry, what're you doing here?"

Harry whipped around and smiled at the groggy face, one that it felt strange to recognise. "Coming to talk." He brushed passed Severus, his body singing in anticipation with the contact, and found the teapot on the table empty but in need of washing, just like he thought he would.

Severus moved into the kitchen to start breakfast. "Talk?

Harry nodded as he washed up the teapot. "I was in you, as we thought. I still have no clue how – it wasn't a Horcrux, but I know it was me."

Harry flashed Severus a cheeky smile while he started the tea. "That section – the part within you – was the part of me that I trusted even though I didn't understand why. It was the hunches that always seemed to work out."

He found himself pinned against the counter, dark eyes searching his. Tipping his head back just enough to offer a kiss, a motion that felt as natural as if he had done it for years which he had been in his dreams, he waited for Severus to take him up on it. A soft groan of anticipation left him as Severus lowered his head, but turned into a growl when the man pulled away. Reaching up, he grabbed Severus' head and pulled him close.

Desire rushed through him at the touch of those thin lips, familiar and welcomed all the more for it. Severus' arms wrapped around him, drawing him in closer, one hand finding its way into his hair. His hands were not hanging limp, no, they were touching Severus in turn, stroking across a cloth covered back and hip. Lips parted, inviting Severus in, an invitation Harry was glad the man accepted. Severus' tongue against his stoked his desire even higher, his body hardening.

Harry's questing hands found their way under Severus' shirt as he inserted a thigh between the man's. Rocking his hips forward while pulling Severus towards him, he gasped as his erection met with another cloth covered one.

Severus' muffled moan ended their kiss, and Harry used the opportunity to trail his lips down the white neck, nipping gently along the way.

"Ha... Harry." Severus panted even as he rocked forward, pushing his hips into Harry's. "Talk..."

Harry worked a hand under the waistband of Severus' trousers and underpants and splayed wide, gripping a taut bottom cheek, bringing him even closer. He heard Severus keen with need and echoed the sound. "Lat … later. Need … this."

His breath caught when Severus' fingers worked under his shirt, his nails scraping lightly across his back. The other hand tightened in his hair, bringing his lips back into another mind-blowing kiss.

The next few minutes were filled with panting as they groped and kissed, hips rutting against each other until they shuddered with completion.

Severus' forehead rested against his as they caught their breath. "Imp, that was _not_ talking."

Harry gave another cheeky grin, still breathing quickly. "No, but I think it gave my answer more clearly than words would have."

Severus gave him a quick peck before stepping back. "Yes, it did. When are you moving in?"

Harry felt his eyebrows shoot up in surprise. "Moving in?"

Severus gave a sharp nod. "Move in. I've had you constantly around for almost ten years. I don't intend on moving backwards. Now, head upstairs and get cleaned up. You know where everything is, and you can borrow a pair of trousers for the morning. I'll finish breakfast."

Harry stopped just outside of the door and looked back. "Don't you need to get cleaned up?" His eyes drifted down to take in the wet spot staining Severus' trousers.

"I've dealt with worse messes on my person for extended periods of time. Go."

Harry sobered up as he realised he knew what those messes were as he walked up the hidden stairs. The bit inside of the Potions Master had learned a lot about what happened at Death Eater meetings.


	8. Revelations

AN: Once again, Yen has been kind enough to make this sooo much nicer. There were little points she wouldn't let me get away with just glossing over. She was right in doing so.

 _Revelations_

Severus watched Harry head up the stairs, his heart demanding that he follow. He shook his head hard and turned back to finishing breakfast. His body was sated for now and following the younger man wouldn't get either of them to work on time, nor would it answer some questions.

With their meal ready on the table, he headed down to his lab, cleaned up and changed into the spare clothes he kept there in case of an emergency. By time he returned, Harry was coming back into the dining room, his hair wet from the shower.

Severus gestured towards the chairs and started speaking before either of them were seated. "My inner Harry was able to merge with you? Is that how you know everything?"

Harry nodded while pouring a glass of juice. "Last night. He said you kicked him out, so he came to see me."

"I did not!" Severus glared. "You know better."

Harry shrugged. "It worked out for the best. Is he with you now? I have his memories and thoughts, but I can't hear him like I could last night."

Severus focused inside, wandering his mindscape and looking for Harry. He mental feet took him past the Dark Side and wound through his Light Side until he came to the spot Harry had made his own. Stepping through the door, his breath caught. Everything was gone – the fireplace, the armchair, the side table of pictures, the rug – everything that made this tiny corner of him Harry's home. Instead, he found a bondin the place that once held the boy. It was in the corner, near where the fireplace used to be. He stepped closer to the softly glowing tunnel, its edges pulsing in time with his heartbeat. Hanging over the opening was a translucent filmy material that was no real barrier at all. Brushing his fingers lightly over it, he wondered when it formed: the first time he laid eyes on Harry, when he finally accepted the boy, or the first time he and his inner Harry made love. The only thing he was positive of was that it wasn't new and it connected him with Harry.

He slowly opened his eyes as he came out of his head. "You're not physically inside of me anymore." He studied Harry before continuing, wondering how he would take this newest revelation. "I think I know how part of you came to reside within me."

Harry's fork stopped on the way to his mouth. "How? We've been trying to figure out this since my first year. How did you figure it out now?"

"The potion did more than it was supposed to." He leant forward, resting an arm on the table, his attention focused solely on his companion. "Think, Harry. Part of you was able to travel back and forth between us, no matter how far apart we were, and it wasn't a Horcrux."

Harry ate while he thought, and Severus allowed him the time. This was too big of a thing for him not to.

The rest of breakfast was eaten in silence. It was after the wash up was finished and they were preparing to head into the Ministry did Harry speak.

"A bond of some sort?" Green eyes searched Severus' face. "It's all I can think would do it, but what type?"

Severus offered a container of floo powder to Harry. "It's now keyed to let you through." He put the bowl back on the mantle once both of them had a small handful. "As for the type, I don't know. All I know is that the spot where I always met Harry at there was a bond connection."

Harry stared at the empty fireplace a multitude of expressions flitting over his face. "We could get it tested in the Ministry."

"Azkaban is not where I want to be, Imp," growled Severus. "If it's a marriage bond I will be there. The test will show how old the bond is."

Harry's shoulders dropped briefly. "No, Azkaban is not a good place to be. So, we have to figure this one out, or … not worry about the type and go on with our relationship."

Severus huffed. "It does matter. If we do get married, the presence of a marriage bond will stop it. We will just have to get it tested somewhere I won't be arrested."

"Hogwarts?" Harry gave a contemplative look around the room. "No matter that you don't have the place bedecked in tinsel, it is nearly Christmas, and I know you have to see Minerva and the others on Christmas Eve. We can have Filius or Minerva check for us."

Harry tossed the floo powder into the fireplace as Severus nodded in agreement. "Let's get to work."

Calling out the Ministry's name, he stepped in. Severus followed right behind him.

§§§§§§

Draco, Terry, and Ron all walked into Harry's office and shut the door behind them. It was Ron who started the conversation.

"What happened, mate?" Ron nodded towards the lab. "You both came in at the same time, you have a smile and -"

Draco cut in. "And the air around Snape is not curdling. He looks pleased with something."

Terry nodded, his eyes not leaving Harry.

Holding back a sigh, Harry forced a grin. He had checked the papers last night and this morning, there was nothing about what happened in the Shetland Islands, and he wanted to keep it that way for now. He was ready to talk to Ron and Hermione, but not Terry and Draco. "The case – it needed a ritual that required the people in it to resolve their unresolved issues. So, I'm happier because I have some answers, and I guess he looks pleased about how it came out."

It certainly wasn't the pleased look he wanted on Severus' face, but maybe he could have that tonight. He was going to leave right on time so he could pack his flat and move in. Now that he had the other's memories, he agreed with Severus. He was used to being around the other man and wasn't ready to change that. _'If it's really a marriage bond, we can show how much restraint we had – we waited a full two, almost three years, after I left Hogwarts to move in together.'_

He fiddled with a paperweight on the corner of his desk, giving Ron their usual signal to let him know Harry wanted to talk privately. "Anything else? Draco, Terry, how did your case pan out?"

As those two started in, he caught Ron's acknowledgement.

§§§§§§

It was lunchtime before Harry was able to escape his office. He tested Severus' lab door, opening it when it glowed green and slipped inside. After making sure Severus had nothing in his hands, Harry wrapped him in a hug, pressing himself tight up against the Potions Master.

"Not in my lab, Harry," growled out Severus.

"I checked before I did." Harry let him go and leant against the counter. "I'm going to let Ron and Hermione know what is going on and what you told me. I told Draco and Terry that we resolved issues on our last case – they cornered me in my office to find out what was different between us. As the papers haven't mentioned anything, I decided I should tell the Weasleys and you should tell the school before it got out."

Severus picked up a stirring rod and rolled it between his fingers. "I'll contact Minerva about visiting tomorrow."

"I'll take tomorrow off then, and we can leave from home. Oh," Harry pushed off the counter, preparing to leave. "I'm moving in tonight."

"Fine, now get out of here."

Grinning, Harry closed the door on his last word. "Ron, shall we have lunch together?"

The redhead nodded as he closed up the file he was working on. "Just waiting on you."

The two walked out the door, and didn't say a thing until they were far away from the department.

"Let's go to my flat, and we need to call Hermione. She will want to be there." Harry headed for a floo even as Ron headed for another.

Moments later, they were in his flat, Hermione was informed and Harry started putting together sandwiches.

"What's going on, Harry?" Hermione asked as she carried plates to the table. Ron grabbed the crisps from the pantry, while Harry retrieved drinks, and then they all sat in their customary places.

"This is going to be hard to believe, but bear with me. I'll answer what questions I can when I am done," said Harry.

Ron jumped in before he could start. "Something happened between you and Snape. We know you've been crushing on the man since forever, does this have anything to do with that?"

Hermione darted a look between the two before letting her attention settle on Harry as he sipped his tea.

"It does." Harry set his cup down, his hands left loosely wrapped around the warm porcelain. "I know why I've been stuck on him ever since I laid eyes on him, now."

He pushed Hermione her favourite crisps over as he told them about the potion his mother got Severus to drink. He then explained the bond, which he blamed for why he felt he could back talk the man during their school years, the other part of him that lived with Severus those years, how the case brought it all out, and their talk last night and this morning. By time he was done, his face was red and lunch was long over.

Ron rested an elbow on the table, his hand holding up his head, his eyes narrowed in contemplation. "So, this morning, eh? And you two have some unknown bond between you that's been there for years?"

A bit of worry sounded in the redhead's voice, but he didn't explain what it was about as Hermione started speaking.

"I'll start researching marriage laws." Hermione scratched a few notes on a loose piece of parchment. "Since this was caused by a potion your mother gave him, you might be able to have the bond declared at the Ministry, citing her as the originator or bonder. It might work. Eleven years old is pushing it, but we might can declare school as a betrothal period. I'll have to look. Also, I'm free the rest of the day, so I will pack this place up for you, Harry."

Ron looked like he was about to speak, his eyes showing a bit of trepidation, but no words came.

"Thanks, Hermione." Harry looked at both of them and grinned. "You can move in if you want, Ron. I know your Mum won't be too happy about it, but it's yours for the taking. If you don't want it, Hermione, you can. At least until you get your own place The lease is paid in full for the next year. I can just transfer it to either of you."

"I can pay for it." Ron huffed.

"Yes, you can, and you will. All the money you're saving on rent can go straight to the war orphans' school fund, or to get them presents, or something to help them out." Harry laughed at the hope on Hermione's face as he named both of her pet projects and the grateful smile on Ron's. "You can say the donations were made by both of us."

"Thanks, mate." Ron settled back and dug into his lunch. "You're leaving the furniture?"

"All yours. Severus' house is already full."

§§§§§§

Severus had waited until after lunchtime at Hogwarts had passed before firecalling Minerva. He'd made sure to speak in a tone low enough that the portraits wouldn't be able to hear him while he requested a meeting with her and Albus' portrait in the Shrieking Shack, and now he was patiently waiting for their arrival.

The Headmistress entered through the passageway from under the Whomping Willow. "Why do we need to meet here, Severus?"

She enlarged Albus' portrait – not the one from the Headmaster's office, but a smaller one that usually hung in the Transfiguration Classroom – and set it in a chair, resting it against the spindly back.

"Severus, my boy, how are you?" Albus called out, his blue eyes bright as he took in the Potions Master's tired appearance.

"Sorry, Albus, I am on my lunch break, so I don't have time for pleasantries." Severus turned to face Minerva, his hands pressed flat against his leg his only sign that he was nervous. "Minerva, are you willing to check me and one other person for the presences of a bond?"

Blue and hazel eyes both darted to his left arm, causing him to shake his head. "The mark is faded and not active at all. This is a heart bond."

Albus leaned forward as though attempting to leave his portrait. Severus could almost swear the paint bubbled up around his nose. "Heart bond? A betrothal bond?"

Severus frowned. "I don't know."

"How can you not?" Minerva exclaimed.

"Don't interrupt and I'll do my best to explain." Trusting that the two wouldn't, Severus started the tale. He explained about the potion Lily had him take, how it reacted to Harry at the boy's Sorting, the part of Harry that had lodged himself in Severus' heart, and then what happened in the past week.

"You didn't know it was a bond?" asked Albus.

Severus shook his head. "Not until Harry merged back together, and I went looking for any trace still in me. I honestly thought I had made him up."

"You and Mr Potter are coming up to the school tomorrow to find out just what this connection is." Minerva's expression showed this wasn't up for debate. "I expect you just after breakfast. If this turns out to be a betrothal bond, we need to explain why it wasn't declared earlier."

Severus waved his hand, dismissing the concern. "I was a spy in Voldemort's forces, he was the symbol for the Wizarding World against Voldemort. We couldn't allow anyone to know about our connection."

Albus nodded. "We need to come up with a reason he was allowed to date."

Minerva transfigured two chairs and gestured Severus into one. As he sat, he knew this had the possibility of being a long conversation. "Don't forget I'm due back to work in an hour."

The other two nodded, and all three of them began plotting.

§§§§§§

"Stand over there, Severus. Harry, you're over here." Minerva pointed to two spots on the carpet about five feet apart.

Severus' robes billowed out behind him as he moved quickly to the indicated spot, he spotted Harry making it to the area Minerva wanted him in and they both spun about to face the Headmistress and Albus behind her. Everyone ignored the other portraits that were watching avidly – most giving up all pretence of sleeping.

Minerva set an empty piece of parchment on the floor midway between them and move back next to her desk. Raising her wand, she cast the bond detection spell. Severus watched the air between him and Harry, wondering what would happen if anything. There was no detectable change for a minute, then words appeared on the parchment, flowing across the surface as if written by an invisible quill. When they stopped, Minerva summoned it to her and placed it on her desk without looking at it. Severus and Harry crowded her out before she could.

Peering down at the parchment together, Severus read the dark blue flowing script.

 _Harry James Potter and Severus Tobias Snape_

 _Betrothed on September 1, 1991 by potion brewed by Lily Potter nee` Evans_

 _Married on August 1, 1997_

Harry rested a hand on Severus' arm as he leant closer, touching the parchment next to the married date. His fingers were trembling just a bit.

"I don't remember that happening," he said, his voice hushed.

Severus twitched his lips into a small smile that dropped almost as fast as it started. "I don't remember it either."

Minerva huffed slightly, showing her displeasure at not being able to see the parchment. Severus heard her wand swish lightly in the air behind them as she spoke, "Prick your ring finger and touch the bottom corner of the parchment closest to you."

Two quills morphed into two very sharp needles. Severus caught the smile flashed his way from Harry and knew the boy was thinking of the first Transfiguration lesson – Minerva's syllabus hadn't change since he was her student. Picking up the needle closest to him, he pricked the side of his ring finger just as Harry did the same. One drop of blood fell onto the parchment from each of them before they applied a touch of pressure to the wound.

As the needles were banished, he glanced down where the two red spots were slowly spreading across the edge of the parchment towards each other. He knew if they met it would mean the marriage was consummated and the Ministry would have a lot of questions about when that occurred. The spread halted almost a quarter the way in on both sides.

Minerva stepped between them and peered at results. She gasped out loud, her wide eyes darting between the two of them before holding the results up for Albus to see. It wasn't his voice that broke the silence.

"Albus, you made Snape tell his husband he had to die?" One of the older Headmasters spoke up.

Phineas Black glared at Harry. "You were dating while betrothed?"

Severus jumped in before anyone else could start. He knew that Harry's relationship with Ginny Weasley was going to be called into question and her entire family could face censorship. One did _not_ date others during a formal betrothal, and that's what the test showed they had. "Yes, Albus did have me tell Harry that, but we were at war – it had to be that way." He turned to Phineas. "Harry dated with permission. We had to maintain our respective roles. If our betrothal was known, it would have caused _complications_."

Minerva snorted lightly at that understatement.

"What about that other girl?" Headmaster Black glared at them both, disapproval still lacing his features.

Severus moved closer to Harry, subtly blocking the portrait's glare. "Miss Chang was when Potter was still young enough to be allowed to test his preferences."

"And it proved that I was betrothed to the correct gender." Harry finished as he stepped out of Severus' shadow, standing firm at his side.

A Headmistress leant against the edge of her frame, peering down at the three living beings in the room. "What I want to know is why this is just now being done? Shouldn't you have had this recorded after the Final Battle?"

Harry shook his head, his grin stretching from ear to ear. "It's my fault. Severus wanted to give me a chance at something of a normal life before we reported it to the Ministry. We both know the media hoopla that's going to happen even now – it would have been worse then. Severus suggested making sure there was a record of the bond here before we announced anything."

"Doesn't explain why you waited this long. It should have been on school record since your first year, young man."

Albus shook his head. "No, Eupraxia, it couldn't. Severus couldn't afford to show such a connection to Harry Potter. The War would've ended very differently if it had been known. It wasn't recorded after the War because there are a number of portraits who aren't … so closed mouthed about happy events."

Minerva swept a look over all the portraits, awake and asleep, before speaking. "This shall remain only in this office until they're able to inform the Ministry. Not one peep."

There was some grumbling and a number of them looked over at Everard's portrait in time to see the man nod in agreement. The rest followed suit.

"Now, I must get back to work." Minerva tucked the parchment into a desk drawer before nodding towards the door. "Severus, Harry, we'll be seeing both of you Christmas Eve for the staff celebration?"

Severus refrained from grinning at Harry's shocked expression as he answered. "I said I'd be here, and of course Harry will."

Spinning sharply, he strode out of the office, Harry's right behind him while calling out a final goodbye.

Once they were out of the castle, Severus slowed enough to walk beside the younger man. "We should go into the Ministry. I need to set an appointment to have our bond proven there, and I'm sure there is something you need to be doing."

Harry stopped him with a touch to his arm. "Do we have to keep the purity status the same?"

Severus looked away from the pleading green eyes. He knew they weren't begging to keep the status quo, but to allow a change of it. Those same eyes had looked at him last night as he explained why they couldn't share a room. Stepping back, he let Harry's hand drop from his arm. "Yes, we do. I don't know why it only registered what it did, but we cannot tempt fate any more. We shall be maintaining our distance for now."

Harry's suffering sigh mirrored just how he felt.


	9. Celebrations

_AN: One more to go after this one, and then this tale is done. Many thanks to Yen for helping keep my deadline, even though she didn't know there was one. ^-^ She also helped this become what it is, cleaning up my grammar, and my left out thoughts and explanations.  
_

 _Celebrations_

"I'm going with you."

Harry's voice broke Severus out of deciding what to wear. Glancing over his shoulder, he tightened his grip on the robes he had pushed out of the way to peer deeper into the wardrobe. Harry was standing there shirtless and his trousers hanging loosely on his hips, unbuttoned and partially unzipped.

Severus jerked his eyes away even as hunger filled him. _'Wednesday – five days. He's off limits until then.'_ He refused to think of waiting any longer. He knew they might have to – the Ministry would tell them if their bond required purity on their official wedding date.

"You can't help me pick out a shirt if you're not looking, Severus." Harry's teasing words ghosted across Severus' ear.

Severus shuddered, knowing just how close Harry had to be. Control around his husband had never been easy. _'Husband – we've been married since the first day I allowed us to make love – the day after his seventeenth birthday.'_ Shunting those thoughts away, he braced himself before turning around. He focused on the two shirts Harry was holding up, framing his chest between them. He had missed them earlier.

"The green – it's Christmassy enough and will go well with my choice." He touched the rich burgundy coloured shirt hanging on the wardrobe door before pulling out the robes he had been hunting for. They were slightly fitted and very dark grey instead of midnight black.

Harry's eyes widened when he spotted the robe. Severus was glad it was after he looked up from buttoning the green shirt. "I remember that one! You got them my first year. You were trying to find a gift for your Secret Santa person – I think it was Hooch – and I talked you into them. Never thought you'd wear it."

Severus pointed to his bedroom door. "Out, Imp. I need to change, and then we need to head out."

Harry took a step towards the bed before giving into Severus' glare. "I'll meet you downstairs."

§§§§§§

The door of the Phial and Plate closed behind Severus and he waited for the exclamations to begin. He was going to have to get used to people fawning over Harry wherever they went. It didn't bother him too much since it would allow him to glare to his heart's content.

People, many he recognised, looked at them and then promptly turned a cold shoulder to them. A side glance showed Harry's expression - it was a confused mix of happiness and affront.

"They should at least acknowledge you, Severus," Harry growled softly, his glare raking over the gathered guests. "I don't care if they ignore me." He snorted lightly. "I'm glad they are, but you're a colleague."

Severus shook his head slightly before tipping it in one direction. "Not to them. I'm nothing more than a freelance Potions Master, if even that."

Harry walked in the direction he had indicated while rolling his eyes. "They don't know what they're missing."

"Oh, I think they do, and are glad about it." Severus refrained from placing a guiding hand on Harry's waist. The temptation would be too great for it to wander. Instead, he walked further into the room, moving around the tables with ease. Harry kept up with him. They made it halfway through the room before Maverick stopped them.

"Snape," the head of the firm stopped next to the Potions Master and glanced at Harry, his eyes widening in recognition.

Severus glared at him, stopping his next words. "Maverick."

"I'm glad you made it, and that you brought someone with you." He held out his hand to Harry.

Grinning, Harry shook it. "I'm dragging him to my Christmas get together, so I figured it was only right that I join him tonight."

"You're taking Snape somewhere?" A voice cut in before the question Severus saw forming on Maverick's face could be given voice. A quick glance showed the upper members of the Board behind Maverick. Harry nodded yes towards them, his grin not dropping one bit.

"How? He doesn't get along with anyone."

Harry laughed at the thin man's comment. "That's just Severus for you. You have to be willing to put up with his … personality, and everything will be fine."

A portly white haired man raised an eyebrow. "Is that so? How would you suggest other Potions Masters behave while working with him? We've not found a single one who can abide to be in the same lab."

Severus looked between them and Harry, wondering what the Gryffindor would say. He hoped it wouldn't be too insightful as he did want to continue working at the Ministry.

Harry shrugged lightly. "That's easy. Listen, do what you're told, have a good reason to back up why you wish to change something, be able to explain your actions. No whining, no fussing, no acting a fool, no playing."

Severus held back a chuckle at the younger man's answer – it was harder to hold back when he noticed the Board members' expressions. They looked flummoxed.

A short stocky lady stepped in front of the other man, her voice deeper than Severus expected. "That's not working with a group, that is just telling them what to do – commanding the lab as if you were better than the others."

Harry shrugged. "You asked how to do so, and that's the only suggestion I have."

They shook their heads. "That isn't helpful."

At the petulant tone, Severus mentally dismissed them. They weren't willing to listen to Harry, which he wasn't all that ungrateful about. If they had paid close attention, they might have been able to discover a way to keep him with a group.

Turning sharply, he stalked towards the other side of the room attempting to put as much space between himself and the Board. Harry and Maverick kept up with him. He made it to the far back corner before he was stopped, this time by Jimmy Mattson.

"Professor!" The dark-haired man stepped into his path, his light brown eyes earnest and a small smile curling his lips. "Professor Snape, sir, can I speak to you for a moment?"

Severus looked at the former Hufflepuff before glancing at the rest of the people behind him, all of them watching Mattson and himself. He recognised most of them from Hogwarts, and more specifically from his NEWT Potions. Aware that both Harry and Maverick had stopped next to him, he returned his attention back to Mattson. "I no longer am a Professor, Mr Mattson."

"Sorry, sir. It's a habit." Mattson glanced behind him, seemingly asking and receiving an answer from the others gathered there. "Master Snape, we were wondering if you would come in and teach us the techniques you used for the latest potions you sent in. The ones that were in the original directions. The new directions create a good potion, but it's not to the same quality as your original. Brass thought it might be because of the fact you had to change a technique so we could understand what to do. The rest of us agree."

Severus could feel Harry sliding slightly behind him while Maverick looked between him and the brewers.

"All of you agree to have me come in and teach you?" his tone left no doubt he didn't believe them.

Mattson chuckled. "No, sir, but those who didn't agreed to work in a different section of the room and have a silencing spell put up between the sides."

Severus glanced back at Maverick. "It's not in my contract..."

His words trailed off as Maverick flashed him a smile. "It is now, as is the patenting of the new techniques. I will, of course, expect a write up on them to be turned in with the paperwork."

"There will be others besides myself to be accredited with some of the techniques." Severus couldn't hide the slight smile that tipped his lips. Maverick was constantly changing his contract. One day, he was going to ask just what was in it to see if the man remembered. He did – but then again, it had been his job, not to mention his life, to keep information in his head.

"Include it in the write-up."

Severus nodded and turned back to Mattson. "I'll be there Monday morning. What time would be best?"

"Around nine," Mattson grinned.

Severus noticed it spread to the others around them. "Nine it is then."

With that, he strode away, taking Harry back into the crowds that wouldn't recognise him.

§§§§§§

The Maverick's Potion Firm Christmas Party ended in the wee hours of the morning, and even though he hadn't talked to many people, he had stayed to the end, a habit left over from parties at the Malfoys, Hogwarts staff parties, and meetings with the Dark Lord. Harry had been tired and so had he, which made both a bit more cranky and wanting to get their way. Harry wanted to be in his bed and truth told, he wanted Harry there, but knew they couldn't. That made matters even worse – he was having to deny himself something he desired and was being freely given. He had growled and snapped and slammed his door to keep the Gryffindor out of his bedroom. He had been amazed that Harry was talking to him this morning when they got up. _'I keep forgetting he's the Imp who put up with the same behaviours and worse all through his sixth year.'_

Severus tugged his normal black robes on before running a brush through his hair. Cramming his nervousness back into the section of his brain that standardly hid that emotion, he prepared himself to face the Weasleys. Normally, he wouldn't be nervous, but it wasn't every day he told people about his and Harry's relationship. _'I also have to tell them about our plan for how Ginevra was allowed to date Harry his sixth year. The entire family has to play along or things can get ugly fast.'_

Straightening his coat more as a way to centre his mind and emotions than because it needed it, he went to meet Harry near the fireplace. They were to floo over to the Burrow.

Harry flashed him a smile and a heated once over the moment he walked into the room. "I've got the tin of biscuits." He held up the container. "Shall we head over?"

Severus gave a curt head nod after his own heated perusal of Harry's nicely fitting trousers and they flooed into the Weasleys' house.

Molly and Arthur's gaze darted between him and Harry, their questions clear as day on their faces. Taking the tin from Harry, Severus walked into the kitchen, leaving the young man to explain what was occurring to his foster family. They had agreed earlier that it would work better this way. He left the door open and watched – they had said nothing about that.

Harry shot Ron and Hermione a grateful look as they stood next to him while the rest of the family stared at him between shooting furtive looks towards the kitchen.

"Harry," Molly began, her tone non-judgemental and very curious, "I know you said you were bringing someone, but Snape?"

Harry nodded. "Yeah, Severus and I … well, it's a long story, and you deserve to hear the truth of it..." He trailed off as the family all sat down except Ron whose hand was on his shoulder, their faces intent and their focus completely on him. Taking a deep breath, he plunged into it.

"All right, the short version. My mum gave Severus a potion a long time ago, and it started working when I got to Hogwarts. Uhm, neither of us knew the extent of the effects, I didn't know anything until very recently."

"What'd it do, Harry?" Arthur cut in, stopping the babbling the same as he would for any of his other boys. Severus understood the concern on his face, and hoped their solution would be acceptable.

Ron's hand tightened and Harry studied the worried expressions on everyone's faces. "It betrothed us."

Severus could feel the absolute stillness that settled over the room – it leached its way into the kitchen, drawing him to the door to make sure he wasn't needed. Arthur and Molly's faces were blanched white, but they were still sitting. The children were not much better off.

It was Percy who spoke first, looking just as stunned as his family members.

"You're joking!" He looked around at his family members. "You must be! You and… Snape?!"

"You dated Ginny while you were _betrothed_?" Molly's strangled question had Arthur reaching out to hold her hand.

Ginevra swayed on the sofa arm she was perched on, her hands shaking as much as her head, both seeming to try to deny that it could be true.

Severus caught Harry's shocked gaze and tipped his head. At Harry's quick nod, he answered the question. "Neither of us knew it was a betrothal then. Trust me, Lily and I had no idea what the potion did, and Harry knew even less about it since I never told him. So… yes, it is true that he dated her while unknowingly being betrothed to me."

The family whipped around and stared at him. Ginevra's eyes were widening with fear even as she twisted a ring upon her left ring finger. George stood next to her, a hand resting on her shoulder while his eyes demanded that everything be made right.

Arthur spoke in a strangled-sounding voice, "How could you not know? How are we going..." His blue eyes darted to Ginevra before dancing over the rest of the family. Severus' answer brought them back to him.

"We've come up with a cover story for it, as we all know the Wizarding World won't believe we didn't know." He noticed Arthur's fear fade to relief blended with curiosity. "It's well known that I was a spy for the Order, and that your entire family was associated with it. As Harry's and my betrothal being known would have … been detrimental … to the War, we are going to say that we agreed that the two would act as if they were dating. It'll be presented as an arranged and supervised relationship. They were never left unchaperoned, were they?"

Harry and Ginevra shook their heads, causing the parents to sigh in relief.

A minute of silence followed, everyone processing the news they had just learned while Severus and Harry waited, their gazes going from one face to the next.

Then Arthur patted Molly's hand before speaking. "A good plan. We could say the reason for the act was to show that Harry was off the market – and he was, just not with her. She will be presented as a Guardian of a Betrothal, not as one who was breaking it."

Ginevra's fingers convulsed around the ring one last time, as the fear began to fade from her face.

With a slow nod, Severus faded back into the kitchen. Harry could tell the other details. He could hear the questions being spoken rapidly. Ginevra's voice was sharp with edges of her remaining fear. Molly and Arthur's were slightly unhappy, but accepting, the others were a mixture of the two. All except Ronald and Hermione – both of them were accepting and supportive, but they had had more time to come to terms with what happened. Harry's voice was soft under them all, telling their tale – at least the parts they agreed the Weasleys as a whole should know. Ronald and Hermione would be the only exception.

§§§§§§

Harry stopped Severus from retreating up the stairs when they returned home. "You know I don't know, so you're going to have to explain the importance of this betrothal bond. I expected them to be a little surprised, but they were hurt and scared."

Severus sighed and turned towards the kitchen. "Tea."

Harry put together a plate of digestives and before too long they were at the table.

Severus sipped his tea, the plate with chocolate digestives next to his elbow. "A betrothal is a custom that is falling out of fashion very slowly. A number of your year mates – roughly half of them – were betrothed by the time they were in their sixth year. About half of those were by written contract the other half by spell or potion. Potion betrothals are falling more and more into disfavour whereas spell and written contract are not."

He nibbled on the edge of a biscuit letting that sink in before he continued. He knew it would take Harry but a moment to digest the information.

"Potion betrothals are falling out of disfavour because they're the hardest to end. Contracts can be rewritten, spells can be ended with another, but the potion betrothals have physically changed the person. The entire time you dated Miss Chang and Miss Weasley, you most likely felt that something was wrong and you didn't ingest the potion.

"I, on the other hand, felt betrayed and frustrated. It would've been worse, but a part of you was lodged within my heart, soothing the potion bond. If it hadn't ..." He stared off into space for a moment, attempting to remember just how he felt when he saw Ginevra and Harry together. "I would've been in my rights to order her away, injuring her if that was what was required to make her end your association."

"People are going to talk about how early our betrothal was, aren't they?" Harry stirred a bit more sugar into his tea before taking a testing sip.

Severus shook his head. "Your family's an old Wizarding family – as old as Malfoy, Prince, Black, Prewitt, Weasley, and several others. We were in a war – your Mother's action will be seen as tying her family to both sides, assuring its continuation." Severus quirked his lips up. "It'll raise the esteem of your family in the eyes of the older pure blood families, and maybe reduce it in the others.

"The sanctity of the betrothal is what the Weasleys were worried about, and rightfully so. Miss Chang we can explain away due to your age. As I said, most betrothals don't take place until the sixth year. Those that do typically have a clause to allow the members to test their preference by dating one person of either gender. You started dating Miss Weasley during your sixth year, and you'd already had your one test dating. All older families of the Wizarding World, and a number of the newer ones would see that as a breach of a vow. Most of the rest will see it as a breach of contract. Not only would you be shunned and face legal ramification, so would Miss Weasley. Just the knowledge that she dated you while you were betrothed can destroy her hopes of marriage."

Harry's green eyes widened and he swallowed hard. "Oh … but we didn't know."

Severus shook his head slightly side to side. "It doesn't matter. Events like the one that lead to our betrothal are rare enough to be thought of as impossible. I took a potion given to me by your mother. That potion betrothed us. We had to know about it – as simple as that."

"So, a Guardian of a Betrothal? How does that protect her? I dated her – we kissed and went out and such."

Severus knew they didn't go any further than that but he still had to crush the surge of jealousy before he answered. "A Guardian is just that – someone who is protecting the betrothal. If a member of the betrothal pair had to leave home – say on the Crusades, then a person who knew about the betrothal was with them. This person's task was to keep anyone from breaking the sanctity of the betrothal. That is one reason it was important that you and her were never completely alone. The form of her guardianship could be questioned, and we can explain it away if all that happened was in the sight of someone else to prove it went no further.

"That you have never had a moment alone is going to be a good thing."

Harry paled slightly. "What about the time I was out hunting for the Horcruxes with Hermione and Ron? She wasn't there to be my Guardian then, and Ron was gone for almost a month."

Severus' hands tightened about his cup. "Does anyone besides Ron and Hermione know about this?"

Harry nodded. "The Weasleys."

"Who will keep it quiet. Most people have no clue just what happened while you were not at school. Officially, Ronald Weasley was at home sick, Hermione Granger was missing presumed in Australia as her parents moved there, and you were not accounted for."

"Phineas Black knows. Well, he knows we were out and about and that it was the three of us. I don't think he knows Ron left, though."

"He didn't bring it up in the Headmaster's office," Severus stopped for a moment before smiling slightly, "and by that time the bond reads as we were married. You wouldn't need a guardian and neither would I."

Harry sighed in relief. "So, no negative effect to the Weasleys."

Severus nodded. "None. As a matter of fact, the Weasley family holding Guardianship of a Betrothal will negate most of their blood-traitor status in many of the pureblood's eyes. Even some of the more fanatical ones will rethink it." He paused before summoning over parchment, quill, and ink. "We need to make sure that Arthur is present when the Ministry checks the bond. Miss Weasley was a minor at the time, so he would be the one holding the contract for Guardianship."

He jotted a note to Arthur letting him know the time and place.

"Who would hold the position of Guardianship over you? If I had one, you would too." Harry asked as he pulled the note over, scanning it quickly.

"Albus – he had enough spells tagged on me during my years that it would test as true. We can ask Minerva to be there to represent him as she was his second in both Hogwarts and the Order."

Harry wrote that note, mirroring the wording on the one for Arthur. "I'll post these in the morning. Bed?"

Severus paused for a moment before picking up the dishes. "I'll clean up, you go on and get settled for the night." He walked towards the kitchen. "I'm heading into Maverick's in the morning"

Harry stopped at the door, his fingers tight on the door jamb. "Will I see you before Wednesday?"

"I'll be here, Harry."

§§§§§§

Severus strode through the front of Maverick's and heading down a hallway he wasn't very familiar with, but the odours let him know he was going in the right direction.

"Master Snape," Mattson called out to him from an opened door.

Severus walked into the large room. With a practised eye, he scanned the room checking the ventilation, station set up, and the brewing of the number of Potion Masters in the room. He focused on Mattson. "Who am I teaching and where?"

Mattson waved him over to a station set up in front of a group of tables; it was obviously a demonstration area. "There is a board on that wall behind the divider if you need it. All the ingredients are stored in the bins around your station, and if we need more, they're in those cupboards over there."

He pointed to the far wall. "We," he gestured to the gathering group of brewers "are here to learn."

"It's difficult to use a hidden board, Master Mattson." Severus realised he had been failing to use the young man's earned title out of habit, but refused to apologise. He would be nice to him or something later to make up for the omission.

"I'll move it, sir," a dirty blond moved from behind her station, heading towards the divider.

"Quickly then, Master Meeks," Severus caught the surprise in the girl's face and knew it was because he remembered her name. A blessing or a curse – he wasn't sure which it was – but he never forgot a name or a face.

He waited until Meeks was back at her station. "We will start with the doxicide potion. The first new technique is the Quimbly crush."

Marcus Quimbly started, his eyes so wide that Severus could tell even though the man was on the last row. "That's why it seemed familiar."

Severus nodded once. "Yes, Master Quimbly, it's based on the mess you made in your fourth year."

With that, he began teaching them how to make the potion. Each technique's explanation and its name appeared on the board.

§§§§§§

Samuel Maverick walked into the Brewing room, the Board following him closely. He had attempted to dissuade them, but it didn't work. They'd somehow heard that Snape was going to be there that morning and wanted to see it for themselves.

Holding a growl back, he crossed the room and grinned at the sight. Most of his Brewing Masters were in the demonstration area with Snape at the front. Part of him knew this had to be what the man's classroom was once like – at least the upper levels. The Brewing Masters were asking questions and Snape was demonstrating the answer, his words cutting but the description clear.

"Excuse me, Master Snape," Samuel stepped into the area, staying off to the side of the front station so as not to block the other's view. He was subjected to a dark glare before Snape turned back to the Master Brewers.

"What?" Timothy Segal, the portly white haired board member, growled out. "How dare he!? You're the head of this firm, you're the only reason he still works here, and he ignores you?"

Samuel nodded, his eyes not leaving the lesson. He knew Snape would talk to him when he had a moment.

"Rude. That's all I can say for it." Eleanor Ripp spoke up, her deep voice carrying across the entire room. Several of the Master Brewers glanced at her before shifting their attention back to Snape.

Snape pulled his wand, causing many of the Brewers to glance quickly at their cauldrons, and flicked it towards Samuel. A bag soared into his arms, and with another flick, a haze shimmered between the demonstration area and the Board. Glancing into the bag, Samuel noted the completed forms. "Thanks, I'll have these filed."

He stepped through the hazy barrier, and the noise level on the other side was deafening.

"How … how could he?"

"Just who does he think he is?"

"A nobody like him – working here on our whim – and he dares to do this?"

"What did he cast?"

"What was in the bag? Why couldn't he just hand it over?"

"Honestly, how rude can one person be?"

Samuel blocked out the rest of their fussing and headed up to his office. The Board followed him there, still grumbling.

Eleanor Ripp started talking directly to him the moment the door closed. "Snape obviously does well working in Brewing Room, we should just assign him there."

Several of the Board members nodded in agreement.

"They weren't complaining."

"We finally found his group."

Samuel slammed his hands on his desk and glared at them, the bag forgotten in his chair. "You … you're willing to consign _Snape_ to just routine brewing and testing?"

Ripp smiled sweetly. "Well, he hasn't done much for the Firm since he's been hired, we might as well get our worth out of him."

"Not done … our worth out …" Samuel sputtered as he looked from one person to the next, seeing they all believed that. "Have you not paid any attention to what he's done?"

"He's not part of a research team, what could he have done?" Ripp rolled her eyes.

Samuel strode over to his fireplace and tossed a pinch of floo powder in. "Nicholas Stephens, Head of Research and Development."

"Mr Maverick," Nicholas' voice came through the flames though his head was not visible.

"I need you in my office now, the Board is here." He stepped back, waiting for the other supporter of Severus Snape to get there. He had never called in Nicholas before, but the Board had never questioned what Snape was creating.

The thin grey haired man stepped out of the fireplace. "Mr Maverick, Board," he nodded to both groups. "How can I help you?"

Ripp spoke up before Samuel could. "Mr Maverick is defending Snape once again – this time he is saying that he had created some worthwhile potions. We," she waved a hand about, encompassing the others in the room, "think he should work in the Brewing Room. He was doing such a good job down there just now, and the Master Brewers were working with him. He's finally found his group."

Nicholas gaze swept over them, his face shuttered, giving nothing away of his opinion. He then smoothed the front of his robe and tugged on the both sleeve cuffs, straightening them. "Let's set Master Snape to the side right now." He ploughed on when Ripp tried to speak. "As important as making sure all our Potions Masters are in the right working environment for them is, I wish to take this opportunity to discuss a Master whose company is seeking to let him go. They have no idea what they've got and if we work it just right, we might snag us a Master of the highest calibre – an elite."

Segal brightened. "Who? What do they want?"

Nicholas gave them a mournful expression. "I'm forbidden from revealing who it is until we have a contract to offer him. Claudius in the Potions Department allowed me to have the information I needed to show you with that stipulation."

Samuel knew that Nicholas wouldn't break that stipulation, either. Claudius was in charge of the Master Contracts and had access to all the information on every Potions Master: what they've patented, when they patented, their score on the Mastery exams, and specialities they've acquired on their Mastery were just the tip of the iceberg of information the man was privy to. Samuel could tell the Board knew it as well.

Segal huffed. "Fine, tell us about him, and we will decide."

Nicholas hooded his eyes partially as he considered them. "He's on par with Ester Gaven, Mitchell Trifoil, Amaryllis Sloan, and Terrance Toliver. Johnson's – the firm Toliver works for – has petitioned four times in the last three months for this master to work with Toliver at the Potions Master's request."

The Board started talking amongst themselves, while Samuel hid his smile. They hadn't left the topic of Snape. Nicholas was just going at it in a manner he had never considered.

Nicholas continued when the noise level lowered. "The Master has patented over a hundred new potions in the last twenty years, and over two hundred significant modifications to existing ones. He has several techniques accredited to him, though he is willing to acknowledge those who helped developed them."

"Ah! He's better than the others then – he can work with a group."

Nicholas shook his head. "He can on his terms, just as the other elite masters can, but for the most part, it will be best to let him work on his own. I know that this goes against what we wish for our research Potions Masters, but honestly, this is our chance to have an elite."

"Why can't they work with others?" Ripp shook her head, confusion on her face.

Samuel jumped in. "It's how they think. We don't put Master Brewers in research teams because they think differently. Our Research Potions Masters can think through a problem and devise a new solution. Our Brewers can do so as well, but not as quickly as the Researchers. An elite … is three or more steps ahead of where our Research Potions Masters are. It would be like putting one of our top Researchers with a five-year-old and expecting them to be equals."

Nicholas nodded. "You all know that Toliver is the top elite in the business." The Board nodded. "If we could hire him, would you force him to work with a team?"

Segal tipped his head and listened to the soft-spoken man next to him before answering. "It would be ridiculous to do so. We would want this man to keep up his level of production. I know that Johnson's is not letting Toliver go, is there a reason that you are using his name?"

Nicholas nodded. "Claudius says this master is Toliver's superior, which is why Johnson's wants him. Toliver told them. Johnson's isn't the only one after him."

The soft-spoken man, Samuel could see it was Blake, whispered again and Segal delivered his words. "What's to keep his company from figuring out what they have? I mean, the head of the firm will have to be asked to let the man out of his contract and if so many have already done so, what will ours do?"

"If enough firms request that this Master is freed, then he will have to be informed of the interest and can look at all the contracts. At that moment, he is allowed to break his with his current Firm with no repercussions." Samuel rested his fingers on his desk, doing his best to avoid the drawer with four requests in it – only one more to go and he would have to put the proposed contracts in front of Snape.

"So, we need to come up with an enticing contract for him." Ripp looked back at Nicholas. "Did Claudius tell you what the other firms were offering?"

"Top galleon – as much as Toliver is currently being paid. A private lab and the ability to brew wherever he feels like – here, home, in a different country. Patents and partial royalties along with the standard potion conventions, holiday time, sick leave, and the rest." Nicholas waited as they thought.

"How can we know he's worth this? I know, you said it, but ..." The Blake spoke loud enough to be heard by everyone, but trailed off as Nicholas pulled a file out of his robe, enlarged it, and laid it on Samuel's desk.

"You can look at it. It won't have his name visible, nor anything that will identify who he is. It cannot be picked up – only the pages inside flipped, and even then, the one side of the parchment cannot come out of contact with the cover."

Samuel stared – he knew what this was. That Claudius allowed Nicholas to remove Snape's folder from the Ministry spoke of trust and Nicholas' ability to persuade.

Ripp, Segal and the others clustered around the front of his desk. They slowly read through the information. It was Segal that spoke up as the last parchment was turned. "What can we offer that no one else has already?"

Samuel caught Nicholas' uncertain look. The Board members did too. Samuel searched his mind, trying to think of one thing that Snape wanted that was not offered by anyone else.

"To be free to work another position as long as it doesn't interfere with his work here." Samuel studied the shocked looks on their faces. "Most of the elite have other interests but are trapped in their Firm doing one thing – potions. Let's give him a chance to do something else. My Firm believes in people working with others – he's just too far above our current Research Masters to do that, but if we allowed him the ability to work in an area that isn't his speciality, then he could meet our requirements. It might mean he won't create as many potions as the other elites, but that isn't what this is about."

"He would have to work here once every two weeks. We work together, and if he isn't here at least part of the time, then we aren't." Blake whispered.

"Of course," Samuel refrained from beaming. "If we are all in agreement?"

The Board nodded in unison. Samuel looked down to hide his smile, and pulled out the contract he had slowly but surely been modifying for Snape. He filled in the rest of their offer and flipped it about, resting it on Snape's file, for the Board to examine.

He held his quill out to Ripp. "We all have to sign the offer before we can see who this is."

Each Board members' name was inscribed on the bottom, and then Nicholas signed his name as well. Turning the contract back around, Samuel signed his. Snape's name became visible on the folder and on the top of the contract.

Blake squeaked, his voice cracking in surprise. "Snape?" His head snapped up and gave a searching look at both Nicholas and Samuel. He waved a hand at the file. "This is Severus Snape?"

Nicholas nodded. "Mr Maverick had no clue who I was talking about. Claudius wanted to give us a chance to keep him. He said only one more contract offer would allow him to break his current one with us. As a friend of mine, he wished us to retain an elite. I told him that the Board didn't believe that Snape was worth anything." He gave a slight chuckle and shook his head. "He almost broke Snape's contract at that moment, but I convinced him that Maverick believed in him and had been fighting you lot since the day he suggested hiring him." He tapped the file. "He leant me this as Maverick's reward."

"Thank him. I knew it was Snape from your first statistic. I talked to him, I checked out what he has done throughout his years as a Master, before I hired him." Samuel looked at each Board member in the face. "You asked me what this man had done. Now you know his overall record. He has developed six potions for us since he began working here. That is new potions. He has improved others. This bag holds the information for the techniques that he is currently teaching our Master Brewers so they can brew what he creates.

"Do any of you wish to remove your name from this contract?" Samuel held up the parchment.

One by one, the Board shook their heads, looking rather subdued now.

Samuel looked over at Nicholas. "Master Stephens, would you please ask Master Snape up to my office? I would like him to sign this with the entire Board present. He's in the Brewing Room."

"Of course." Nicholas picked up the file and went to collect Snape.


	10. Surprises and Answers

_AN: Many thanks to Yen for helping to add a much-needed scene, polishing things up, and all in all helping me finish this tale when real life wanted my complete and undivided attention._

 _Lizzy0305, I hope you have enjoyed!_

 _Surprises and Answers_

Severus stood stock-still, his eyes glazed over slightly as he stared out his kitchen window. The view wasn't much to look at. A small patch of green, mainly filled with his vertical gardens – one side was his kitchen patch holding herbs and other simples, the other two sides were for potions. In the centre was a small patch of grass, just big enough for two grown men to stand in and turn around. He didn't see any of it. Not even the sun glinting off the glazed pots Harry had helped him design during the boy's second year at Hogwarts.

Instead, he was reliving different meetings over the past week since he and Harry had returned from the Shetland Islands.

 _They left Hogwarts and he had to keep his distance from Harry. Part of him was breaking, screaming, wanting to destroy everything near him all because he knew what he had to do and he didn't want to. Harry and he had survived Harry's sixth year, but it had been an ugly time. He had been meaner, grumpier, and far crueler than he had ever been before. Harry had retaliated in kind, and it was very fortunate that at the time neither could walk out on the other since Harry was lodged inside of him. Now they were facing the same thing again, but this time one of them could leave._

 _Want, desire, need, and desperation rushed through him when he felt the hand on his arm. He couldn't move away. He couldn't move forward either so he turned his head._

" _Do we have to keep the purity status the same?"_

 _Green eyes were pleading with him, pulling him in. He looked away so he could do what was needed. He said something, the same things he said every day the last time they were in this situation, but with a new addition. He truly had no clue why the purity test showed that neither of them had done anything except maybe a kiss. Given what happened in the kitchen just the other morning was more than that, knowing what they had been doing inside his head or heart for the last four years, he was amazed. The purity test should have shown the marriage status as consummated._

 _When they had made it to the Ministry, he immediately went to the department that handled bonds. The old man sitting behind the front desk looked up at him after filling in the form sitting in front of him. Severus knew the waiting game well, so didn't let this tactic bother him._

" _What can I do fer ya, Mr Snape?" The man's voice croaked out._

 _Severus answered as blandly as possible, "I need to have a bond tested."_

 _The faded blue eyes darted to his left arm, before their owner flipped open a book. "Sometime after the New Year?"_

 _Severus shook his head. "This week, or before Christmas at the very latest."_

 _Pages ruffled as they turned to the next available slot. The man glanced at a name and huffed slightly. "We have one who can check for bonds, but she mightn't be able to deal with breaking them."_

" _When?"_

" _Wednesday at four o'clock. Last appointment before Christmas Holidays."_

 _Severus held back a sigh. He could wait a week. It was much shorter than the year from last time. "I'll take that one."_

 _He watched as his name appeared in the empty slot._

" _Don't be late." The man closed the book and returned to his pile of parchment._

The sound of the kettle boiling pulled Severus back to the present. It took but a minute to have a pot of tea started before looking in the fridge to decide what he was going to make for breakfast. He took a couple of eggs out along with butter, milk, and cheese. Setting them on the counter, he heard the water of Harry's shower.

Turning his thoughts quickly from a nude husband – he could call him that now – he started making omelettes, his thoughts turning to yesterday afternoon instead.

 _Severus finished teaching all the techniques he thought the group of Brewing Masters could handle at one time. He had taught most of them at one time or another and had a fair gauge of how much they could take in._

 _Cleaning up his work station, he hoped that Maverick faired all right with the Board. He knew it was not the … most acceptable thing to do when he cast his muffling charm around him and his students, but he almost didn't care._

" _Master Snape."_

 _Master Stephens' voice pulled him out of staring at one of the Brewing Masters who had not taken his class. The little blond was hiding the best he could behind the cauldron he was working in, but Severus recognised him anyway._

" _What's Jerome Stilton doing here? Surely he should be in one of the research teams." Severus shot a questioning look at the Head of the Research and Development._

" _He asked not to be, and I didn't know if he was truly capable of it." Stephens gestured for him to follow._

 _Severus growled slightly. "He's as capable as the top researchers here – with the right amount of training he could be taking your place when you decide to retire. He's hiding here, playing it safe instead of showing his abilities."_

" _I'll look into it later," Stephens started down the hall. "Mr Maverick wants you to come to his office."_

 _Severus bit back a sigh. The Board probably won and he was now out of a job. While he was there being told that, he would ask Maverick about those contracts he mentioned before._

" _It's not bad, Snape. I did a very Slytherin thing and convinced the Board you were worth keeping around." The former Hufflepuff looked right pleased with himself. "Maverick wants you to sign your new contract in front of them."_

 _Severus raised an eyebrow. "And just how did you do that?"_

 _He enjoyed the tale that followed, and did agree with Stephens – it was a very Slytherin thing to do._

 _The looks on the Board's faces were a mixture of disbelief and awe as he crossed the office to Maverick's desk._

" _Read over it, please." Maverick pushed the parchment towards him and then set a quill next to it._

 _Reading it word for word, Severus couldn't help but be amazed. Everything Maverick had said was added to it was there, and more pay was an unexpected bonus. Picking up the quill, he signed the bottom._

 _Even as the ink dried, the Board walked quietly out the door._

" _I've got to run to the Ministry," was all Stephens said before he flooed away._

 _Severus looked about the empty room before returning his attention to the man who had fought for him as hard as Albus had. "Thank you."_

 _A smile was Maverick's only response._

Harry entered the dining room just as he was setting breakfast down.

"Are you coming into the Ministry today?" Harry brushed his fingers across the back of Severus' hand as he sat down.

Severus refrained from both jerking his hand back and grabbing Harry's. "I need to set up my new lab at Maverick's. If I go in today, then I won't need to be there until just before the New Year. I was planning on stopping by the Brewing Room and teaching Mattson and the others a few more techniques as well."

He placed a glass of juice at each place before he sat across the table from Harry. "I'll be there tomorrow."

Harry sighed and drank some of the apple juice. "Did Mr Weasley get back to you about being there? Minerva said she would be and was considering bringing Aberforth as he is the last Dumbledore."

Severus frowned. "I don't know why Aberforth would need to be there, but if he comes, then he needs to know just what is going on. Yes, Arthur will be there. Molly might as well."

Both quietly ate breakfast, and longing looks, though partially hidden on Severus' side, were cast as they headed out to their separate destinations.

§§§§§§

Harry felt giddy as he walked through the department's door. It was Wednesday. A quick glance showed the Potions Lab door closed tight. He knew Severus was just behind it, the Potions Master left so early that morning to runs some tests for Draco and Terry's new case that Harry wasn't positive the man hadn't had to break into the Ministry like he did during his fifth year.

Setting that thought aside, his eyes met Ron's as the door closed behind him. A quick shift of his gaze to Draco and Terry was all he hoped Ron needed to let his best friend know he was going to tell them.

"Good morning," Harry beamed at them, he couldn't help it.

Draco glanced between the closed lab door and Harry. "What's going on, Potter? Snape is grumpier than normal and you are happier than normal."

Terry nodded and swallowed the biscuit he was eating. "And that is not a good thing." He tapped the top of the biscuit box sitting in next to his elbow. "I don't want this to be the last of these biscuits, I still can't read the logo on the box."

"Go ahead and tell them, Harry." Ron leant back in his chair, a smile curling his lips. "Dad said it would be okay. The secret will be out this afternoon anyway."

Terry and Draco looked between the two, their expressions demanding to be let in on said secret.

Harry quickly checked the privacy wards on the room and then, with his back pressed against the lab door – which glowed red around him – he spoke quietly. "Severus and I are going to have our betrothal bond confirmed today."

A quill could have been heard hitting the floor. Grey and brown eyes searched him before both narrowed. Draco's took on a calculating look while Terry looked at Ron, horrified.

Terry leant across the table, his face accusing. "Your sister dated Harry!"

Draco's voice cut across the accusations. "You gave him permission to tell. You knew – your family knew – your family holds Guardianship."

The softly spoken words stopped Terry's rant and he looked between Ron and Harry. "Why?"

"The war," Harry said just as softly. "Couldn't have the supporters of either side knowing, at least not those who didn't know everyone's true allegiance."

Draco frowned slightly, his eyes raking over Harry's apparel. "Tell me you are changing before the ceremony."

Harry shook his head side to side. Severus didn't say anything about being dressed up. "No, I didn't know this was that important. Severus didn't mention anything."

Draco rolled his eyes. "No, he wouldn't. He would dress in his normal black and not care one way or the other. He doesn't care about the form of things as long as it's done." He turned towards Ron. "You know better, don't you?"

Ron gave a sharp nod. "Dad and I both have new dress robes here to change into. Mum is going to be coming later."

Draco turned to Terry. "Take Harry and get him ready. I'll tackle Snape." He looked back at Ron. "You wait on your Mum, and watch the office." He turned back to Harry. "When is the ceremony?"

"We are supposed to be there by four." The door he was leaning against shifted from yellow to green.

"We've barely enough time." Terry jumped up from the table, pushing the biscuit box away. "Ron, where is the after celebration occurring?"

Draco shook his head. "That would be Snape's responsibility. Harry, do you know?"

' _There's supposed to be a celebration?'_ Harry shook his head.

"I'll find out from Snape while I pry him out of the lab and make sure he's ready." Draco gestured for Harry to move away from the door. "Terry, you two need to head out. Ron,"

Ron cut him off. "I'll double check that Mum and Dad are dressed appropriately, and be prepared to meet them and Professor McGonagall, Snape's Guardian."

Before Harry had completely understood what was happening, Terry bustled him out of the door and into the shopping district of London's Diagon Alley.

The morning became a whirlwind of clothes shopping, with stops at the cobbler's, hairdresser's, and Terry's house to get cleaned up. Lunch was eaten sometime in there, but Harry couldn't honestly say when or where or even what it was.

§§§§§§

Severus knew what was about to happen when Draco opened the door. He and Harry had discussed last night about telling the other two in the office, and he had a feeling that something like this would occur.

"Snape," Draco leant against the door jamb, showing the empty room behind him. "You do have appropriate robes to wear to your ceremony this afternoon, don't you?"

Severus looked down at the black robe slightly stained with potions and ingredients. What he wore didn't matter to him. What matter was that he and Harry were both there, and both agreed to keep the bond.

"Mum and Dad are right – you don't care about appearances unless it is the entire reason to be there." Draco pushed of the jamb. "Come on, we've got to get you appropriate clothes. Do you have an after celebration location chosen?"

"After celebration? Draco, this is just the recognition of a Betrothal Bond, not a wedding." Severus snapped.

Draco snorted. "And it gets its own party. Now, since Harry says your Guardian is Professor McGonagall."

Severus frowned. "It was Dumbledore, Minerva is just standing in his stead."

Draco gave a short nod before continuing, "I wish to offer you the services of Malfoy Manor and our elves for the after celebration since Hogwarts wouldn't be a good place with all the students. It will take me but a moment to fire call Mum, and she can arrange it all. The party will be a dinner celebration, and maybe some dancing if she can work it out. So close to Christmas, I don't know, but I think a lot of your guests can make it on such short notice."

Severus closed his eyes and sighed. This had to happen, especially now that Draco was involved. Harry deserved the full treatment, and he didn't want the boy to face the criticisms if he didn't have them. Tapping his wand to a piece of parchment, he produced a list of names. Not long, Narcissa would mostly likely add more, but these were the few people he and Harry would want there. "This is our list of guests."

Draco took the parchment and turned to leave, calling back over his shoulder. "I'll be just a moment, be ready to leave. We're going shopping."

§§§§§§

"Mum," Draco leant further into the floo, handing the parchment through. It had taken a full three minutes after he alerted the house elf for her to get there. He was afraid Snape was going to start on another potion, one that couldn't be stopped.

Narcissa knelt down and took the parchment, concern filling her face. "What is it, Draco?"

Draco talked quickly, knowing his mum would be shocked, but could handle it. "Snape and Harry are having their Betrothal Recognition Ceremony today. Yes, Severus Snape and Harry Potter. I just found out. Snape is ..."

Blue eyes widened. "Severus and Harry? How? When?"

Draco shook his head. "Harry said they didn't spread it about due to the war, so maybe it was an early betrothal. He did date the Chang daughter during his fifth year, it could have been a testing, or before it was set. I don't know. All I know is that neither are prepared, not even dress robes to wear for the ceremony."

A slightly aggravated sigh escaped his lips. He needed to hurry – Terry had been right about the time restraint.

Narcissa shook her head, her surprise visible only for a second before her planning expression dominated. "Being true to form. Your Father and I will set up the party. You get them looking right. I doubt Severus told Harry just how big of a deal this is."

Narcissa tipped her head to one side, "Are there any Guardianships involved? They may have planned the celebration."

"The entire Weasley family for Harry and Albus Dumbledore – Professor McGonagall is standing in his stead – for Snape. There are no plans, Snape would have said something when I offered our home."

"They might bring in Aberforth as well. If not, he needs to be invited." She stood up, "Go, Draco, we've both have a lot of things to do. Bring Severus here to get cleaned up. Lucius will double check that he's ready."

Draco pulled out of the fireplace. Time to get cracking.

§§§§§§

Severus understood what he did by allowing the Malfoys to host the celebration dinner, a dinner he was positive was going to be far more than that as Narcissa and Lucius were equally aware of what this would do. The Malfoys' social status would rise once again, some of the dents and dings it had taken would be polished out. Just the same as the Weasleys' social status would be repaired by the Guardianship. The two families working together, albeit unwittingly, would do truly shake up the Wizarding World politics.

Dressed to Draco and Lucius' standards, with Draco at his side, Severus waited in the Ministry Atrium for Minerva and the rest of their party to arrive. As he waited his thoughts returned to his day. He has convinced Draco by refusing everything else to allow him to remain in black. The dark robes were made of the highest quality wool available with silver buttons adorning it and the new outfit beneath them. The coat was a dark charcoal grey as were the trousers. His waistcoat was the same as his robes, and his white shirt could have come from his own wardrobe, but actually was made up quickly by Lucius' own house elves. He had found nothing that suited his taste while out shopping and had succeeded in convincing Draco that it would be alright to have one old object on his person. Lucius had put paid to that idea as he was getting ready. The memory of that conversation captured his attention.

" _Severus," Lucius closed the door of the bedroom that Severus was using, "how long have you been betrothed?"_

 _Severus raised an eyebrow, before brushing his wand down his shirt, causing the wrinkles to be fall out. "Lily betrothed us." He would let Lucius come up with his own answer._

 _The blond nodded. "Good, a family blessed betrothal will be hard for others to … argue about. It was the Potters' wish, so it will be respected. Now, about the after celebration -" He stopped when Severus slipped the new waistcoat over his old shirt. "What, pray tell, are you doing?"_

" _Getting dressed." Severus raised an eyebrow as Lucius' frown._

" _You're not wearing that shirt. Not one stitch of old clothing is allowed. You know that." Lucius pulled a bell rope and spoke to the house elf that appeared. "Mandy, Severus requires a new shirt. Take his measurements and have it ready in half an hour. You may alter one of my new shirts to fit him if possible."_

 _Lucius turned back to Severus. "Everything else is new – sock and smalls?" When Severus nodded, he continued with his earlier conversation. "As I was saying, in the after celebration your familial coats of arms will be displayed. Is there a chance, considering the age of the betrothal bond, that it might have matured into a marriage one?"_

" _A slim chance, but even if it did, we both know the likelihood of the Ministry recognising it."_

 _Lucius nodded. "We will prepare the joined coats just in case. Send a quick message if they do."_

" _Of course," Severus sat on the bed to wait for his shirt. "Thank you for bringing this together so quickly. I don't see the necessity of it, but Harry will enjoy it."_

 _Lucius' eyes rolled. "Only you, Severus. Narcissa has succeeded in getting a band, and the elves have prepared the ballroom. There will be a light repast offered -mainly tea things – and then dinner will be served later. We've called in the elves from the other Malfoy holdings, and are using their kitchens to prepare the food as we speak. Narcissa is planning a large cake just in case." He settled on one of the chairs and continued to fill Severus in on the plans while they waited on the shirt._

Pulling gently on his cuffs, Severus returned to the present. A glance to his side showed Draco, dressed in rich grey robes with silver trim, was still on his left and Arthur, in dark green, and Ron, in a deep blue, were on his right.

Searching the Atrium once again for Harry, he finally spotted him and Terry coming towards them. The rich green of Harry's robe wouldn't be too bright against his black, but offered a lovely contrast. He wore a dark suit but from this distance, Severus couldn't tell if it was dark grey or black. Terry was in a rust red colour that suited him more that Severus had thought it could. Just as Harry made it to them, Minerva, dressed in her tartan, and Molly, who was wearing rich copper brown, did as well.

"Aberforth said he would meet us at the celebration dinner," Minerva said as they turned to walk towards the wand weighing station. "Most of the staff will be there tonight, Severus. Thank goodness it's the Holidays."

Severus refrained from rolling his eyes and handed over his wand to be weighed. Once that formality was done, the party fell into the traditional escort. Arthur and Minerva stood between him and Harry, Molly and Ron flanked Harry's other side. Draco and Terry flanked him.

People moved out of their way, their eyes wide and stuttered well wishes falling from their lips. Reporters were snapping pictures but not one dared to stop them. It wasn't done, but he could hear the speculations buzzing behind them as they made it to the old man's desk.

Faded blue eyes blinked, looked back at the appointment book, and then back at them. Standing up, he brushed at the wrinkles in his robes causing them to fall out, leaving the robes looking worthy of being on their herald. "This way, Mr Snape."

He walked them to a set of double doors, tapped the handle twice with his wand, and then flung them open. Stepping aside, he gestured for them to enter. "I'll let your Bonder know of your arrival."

He walked off and Severus had a feeling it wasn't to get the originally scheduled Bonder. He was proven right as one young lady entered obviously still straightening her dress robes with an older man, probably a few years older than Minerva, who ran a final smoothing hand down his own mahogany robes.

The older Bonder's eyes scanned over the assembled group and then bowed his head slightly towards them. "I am Bryan Jerkin, Master Bonder. This is Nicole Carroway, Master Bonder – she will be assisting me in this ceremony."

He crossed the room to stand near a podium that held a small book and several stacks of parchment, Carroway followed him, her cornflower blue eyes darting between each of their party, but mostly resting on Severus and Harry. Jerkin turned about, his robes flowing around him, to face the group after a quick glance at the book. "We have come here to test a bond. Will the Guardians present those they protect?"

Arthur stepped from between Harry and Minerva. "I am Arthur Weasley, Head of the branch of the Weasley Family that holds the Guardianship of the Betrothal between Harry Potter and Severus Snape."

Severus gave mental points to Jerkin – he didn't react at all to Arthur's announcement. Carroway did – her eyes big and a soft gasp escaping her slack jaw. Jerkin didn't even react to that, he just quietly reminded her to write the information onto a parchment near the book as Arthur continued.

"Molly Weasley is here as my partner in holding the Guardianship. We present Harry Potter."

Molly moved slightly closer to Harry's side as Arthur stepped back to his original place.

Minerva moved forward. "I am Minerva McGonagall, standing in the stead of Albus Dumbledore as the Guardian of the Betrothal between Severus Snape and Harry Potter. I present to you Severus Snape."

She moved back to her place and Jenkins called for the witnesses to present themselves.

Draco stepped forward. "I am Draco Malfoy, Heir to the Head of the Malfoy Family. I stand as witness for the Malfoy Family to the Betrothal of Severus Snape and Harry Potter."

Ron and Terry both followed Draco, stating the same things but for their family.

Jerkin moved to stand in one circle engraved in the floor. "Mr and Mrs Weasley, Headmistress McGonagall, please escort your charges to their respective places."

Arthur and Molly lead Harry to the circle on Jerkin's right and Minerva took Severus to one on the left.

"We are here today to confirm the betrothal between Severus Snape and Harry Potter." He turned slightly in Severus' direction. "Master Snape, who arranged this betrothal, and what form did it take?"

Severus centred himself, holding back his normal snark. "This betrothal was arranged by Lily Potter neè Evans before her passing. The form was a potion for strength and longevity."

Jerkin turned to Harry and asked, "Mr Potter, you, knowing you were betrothed, dated two girls during your time at Hogwarts?"

Severus narrowed his eyes. He knew it was going to be broached, but he didn't expect the Bonder to mention it or even know of Harry's dating history.

"I did, sir." Harry's voice sounded calm, which partially reassured Severus. "Miss Cho Chang was my allowed test, confirming my gender preference. Miss Ginevra Weasley acted as such to be a Guardian of my Betrothal since it could not be announced due to the circumstances of the time."

Jerkin shifted his gaze to Minerva and Arthur. "Was this unusual way of Guarding agreed upon and monitored?"

Both answered 'yes' at the same time, and Severus knew it would hold up under Vertiserum as long as the phrasing of the question was not changed. It was monitored at the time by every living and non-living soul in Hogwarts as well as Molly, herself, at the Burrow. It was agreed upon much later.

Jerkin signalled for Carroway to place a piece of parchment onto the small table between Harry and Severus. "Guardians, please leave your charges and join the witnesses."

Molly, Arthur, and Minerva moved to stand near the others. Jerkin then raised his wand and cast the same spell Minerva had almost a week ago. Severus watched as brilliant blue ink flowed across the foolscap. From here he couldn't see the words, and was worried as the ink colour changed between here and Hogwarts. As the words continued to form, that became a difference as well, when they ended half the page was filled.

"Mr Potter, please step up to the table." Jerkin crossed the room and arrived at the table the same time Harry did. "Your left hand, sir."

Harry shot a quick look at Severus but held his hand out to Jerkin who pricked his ring finger and directed three drops of blood onto the lower corner of the parchment.

"You may return to your circle, Mr Potter." Jerkin released Harry's hand. "Master Snape, please step up to the table."

Severus crossed to the table and offered his left hand when requested. As he did, he quickly scanned the foolscap, trying to find out what else was written. _'Everything from Minerva's is on there. It also shows that the betrothal was not registered before, the potion type is listed as a Bythesea potion,'_ He filed the name away to research later as he continued to read. _'then it goes on to list Harry's two relationships and then date ranges of our interactions, and my connection to Voldemort and it's ending.'_ The glaring lack of relationships for him he knew would be considered a positive.

His blood touched the parchment, and Jerkin sent him back to his circle. The Bonder stood at the table, waiting for the purity test to complete. His face gave nothing away as he walked back to his circle and faced them once again.

"Severus Snape, Harry Potter, your Betrothal Bond has matured into a Marriage Bond. It did this on the first of August of 1997. According to the Purity Test, this marriage has yet to be consummated." He looked between Severus and Harry and then towards the Guardians. "Neither of the two have breached their Betrothal Bond nor the Marriage Bond.

"As the Bonds have been upheld and the marriage has not been consummated, the two joined may decide if they wish to continue this joining." Jerkin straightened his back slightly, his head high as he turned to Harry. "Mr Potter, as you entered into this betrothal at such a young age, and at your Mother's behest, you are granted the ability to remove yourself from this relationship and bond with no penalty for breach of contract.

"What is your decision?"

Severus felt his heart clench with fear at the thoughtful look on Harry's face. Harry knew him inside and out – literally. He knew he wasn't good, nice, or easy to deal with. If Harry decided to break the bond, there would be no chance of having his Harry back, and his world would be bleaker than ever. Severus forced his face to remain calm and impassive, though he was anything but.

Harry's green eyes rested on him, searching his face and eyes, before dropping to the potion stained hands he had clenched into slight fists. A small smile – a mischievous one he had seen too many times for his own heart's good – flashed his way before Harry asked Jerkin a question.

"This is a Potions Bond. Are you sure there would be no repercussions in breaking it? Can you break it?"

Jerkin's lips compressed slightly, the only indication of his disapproval or disappointment. "The bond is a Bythesea type. They are harder to break, and can leave the member of the bond who is unwilling to let it go scarred mentally, emotionally, and or physically, but it can be done."

Even as Severus resigned himself to all of the scars Jerkin mentioned – he knew he could never willingly let Harry go, he had been with the boy for too long – a niggling sense of hope kept him from locking his heart completely away from the bond connected to it.

"Don't doubt me, Severus." Harry's words caused his gaze to fly up from their contemplation of the stone floor. "I've told you that many times, it's time for you to believe me."

Severus felt his heart unclench at those words, the same words the eleven year old told him when he first disbelieved that the boy wanted to be in his heart and mind, and then repeated many times until Severus gave up doubting his Harry. It was that belief that had kept him from completely doubting the younger man now. He narrowed his gaze, letting a light glare tell Harry to get on with this, and that he never liked to be teased.

Green eyes continued to look directly into his as Harry spoke to Jerkin. "I have wanted this connection since I learned about it. I didn't understand why I did, but I knew I never wanted to be separated from Severus Snape, and that still holds to this day."

A flash of warmth in those green eyes sent a spiral of heat through Severus, making his heart race, demanding that he cross the room and kiss Harry senseless. Jerkin's next question stopped him.

"Severus Snape, though you entered this bond as an adult at the behest of Harry Potter's family, you are granted a chance to end this relationship and bond. You shall be charged a monetary fine for breach of contract. The amount will depend on the resulting scarring of your husband, Harry Potter. Do you wish to?"

Severus mentally scoffed at the idea that a fifteen year old was considered an adult, but had no desire to let the world know that this betrothal began long before the other partner had even been thought of, much less born. He didn't break eye contact with Harry as he snapped out his answer. "No."

The flash of amusement in Harry's eyes told him his Imp appreciated his shortness. Severus did keep the sharp tone out of his voice at least.

"As neither of you wish to deny the other, and the bond shows you to have been married for over four years, today's date shall be entered as your official wedding date. Your bond maturation date shall be recorded as the alternative date. You may use either on your records. Congratulations, gentlemen."

Severus felt himself freeze. They were officially married. Happiness flooded through him. Some of it was because they wouldn't have to plan an elaborate ceremony, but most was because Harry was truly his to have and hold for the rest of their lives.

§§§§§§

Severus and Harry stood side by side in one of the front parlours at the Malfoy's house. Their escort was with them except Draco who had gone on ahead to let his parents know they were wed. Severus glanced down at his left hand. A gold wedding band rested on his ring finger, its duplicate adorning Harry's. Minerva had done a wonderful job with them. As they were preparing to leave the ceremony room, she had plucked a few hairs from each of their heads and then transfigured the rings. Her reasoning had been that they didn't have time to buy any before the Celebration Dinner, and they needed to wear them to show their new status. Neither Severus nor Harry objected at the moment, and Severus looking at the simple ring – gold with fine etchings all over the surface that reminded him of their hair, though he knew the transfiguration was not messed up – knew they would compare every set they looked at to these. He would head out to the stores tomorrow morning, braving the Christmas Eve rush, lto start the search. Minerva's work would last that long.

The Malfoys entered the room, small smiles on their faces.

"Severus, Harry, let us congratulate you on your nuptials, though from what Draco says, it's late in coming." said Lucius, his smile broadening.

Severus nodded slightly. "Thank you. It was a surprise to both of us that the bond had changed on its own."

All the Malfoys nodded.

"We and the rest of the Wizarding World, can understand the need for secrecy during the War, " Narcissa turned towards the door, "but there is no reason now. Let's introduce you to the world and celebrate this happy event."

Severus noticed Harry's amusement and leant close to the younger man. "What, Imp?"

"Not one scolding about the short notice. She has an entire party planned – dancing, dinner, more dancing – in less than twelve hours, and she doesn't even seem to want us to acknowledge that we caused them any issues."

Severus flashed Harry a smile before whispering, "We will hear about it later. Right now, we are the guests of honour and are being treated as such."

With that, they left the room, their Ministry escorts, who were now their entourage, beside them.

Narcissa and Lucius opened the ballroom's door, and Severus could see the decorations that covered the walls. He knew magic and elves could help with a lot, but the room was still stunning. Scattered about were an abundance of hot house flowers most likely from one of the Malfoy's estates, silk hangings in a multitude of colours creating a soft warm look to the room. He stopped surveying the room when the hanging on the back wall caught his attention. They were the family crests showing the family trees of both his and Harry's heritage culminating in a joined crest for them. He studied his and Harry's new crest – now that it was displayed they wouldn't be able to change it – and decided he like it. It had elements of the Black – a tree, Potter – a dog, and Prince – a wyvern – crest in it along with a black snake curled around the edges of the gold shield all displayed on a maroon background. He knew the snake was to represent himself as there were no symbol for the Snape line.

"Honoured guests," Lucius spoke into the silent and mostly crowded room, "it's an honour and privilege of the Malfoy family to host the celebration of the joining of two notable wizards. We're pleased that you could join us to celebrate the nuptials of Severus Snape and Harry Potter."

Here he and Narcissa moved out of the way, allowing Severus and Harry along with their entourage to enter the room. Clapping filled the room briefly, before they quieted and Narcissa stepped up to Severus' shoulder.

"Come, greet your guests." She and Lucius escorted them along with Terry and Arthur to meet all the people the Malfoys had brought together under such short notice.

It took Severus only a moment to realise every major pure blood family was represented and most of those from the Light. The introductions were going to take quite a while.

After the last person was greeted, the band, which had been playing softly in the background, fell silent at Lucius' signal. The elder Malfoy looked over the gathered guests, his eyes landing on Severus and Harry. With an autocratic gesture, he waved them forward.

Severus took Harry's hand and let his husband on to the dance floor.

Lucius signalled for the band to begin the first dance.

Severus held Harry as close as decency allowed as they moved about the floor alone. Gazing deep into his Imp's green eyes, he let his happiness show.

§§§§§§

Severus was glad when the celebration finally finished. Well-wishers toasted him and Harry away. Lucius assured him that Draco would bring their family crest to them later. Severus and Harry both thanked their hosts, and then left, returning to Spinner's End.

Reaching out, he brushed a lock of Harry's hair behind his ear and let his fingers trace the edge of his jaw. "Are you ready?"

Harry raised an eyebrow, proving to Severus that the younger man didn't remember the line, but he hoped that his Imp would remember the next ones.

"I'm ready. More than ready."

Severus smiled. Harry had joined him in quoting themselves. Those were the words spoken on their last wedding day according to the parchment.

Tipping Harry's chin up, he kissed those soft pink lips. Pleasure rushed through him, bright and hot. Tongues stroked each other, hands roamed about, and Severus had to pull away.

"What?" Harry panted lightly trying to get back into Severus' arms.

"Not here in the hall, nor on the sofa, not yet. Upstairs, Imp. We've a bed to break in."

Laughing, Harry darted up the steps, Severus on his heels. Harry dashed through his room's door and made it to the bed as Severus was walking through the door.

"I can be here now! No glares, no grumps, no fussing!" Harry fell back onto the bed, before turning over and smiled at Severus. "And you can be here with me."

The smile turned into an invitation. "So, come on."

"Get your shoes off," Severus crossed the room, draping his robe over a chair, his coat and waistcoat following. "You know the rules."

His Imp grinned. "No shoes on the bed, and no clothes on the Harry."

Severus rolled his eyes as he undid his shirt. "No clothes on the Harry when I am about to devour him alive. You are, of course, permitted to wear nightclothes."

Harry's gaze burned over his skin as he sent his shirt to join the rest of his clothes. Severus stopped next to the bed, his eyebrow raised. "You can quote the rules well enough, now obey them."

Laughing loudly, Harry stripped, dropping his clothes on the floor near the bed. Severus shook his head and banished them to the chair that was holding his. "I am positive we've held a conversation about that as well."

Harry shrugged and pulled Severus onto the bed, working his trousers loose and pushing them down. "I would have picked them up in the morning. I'm just so happy about being here."

Severus clasped their left hands together, bringing the rings on their fingers together. "We will be here for as long as Fate permits."

He ran a hand down Harry's chest and settled it on his hips, pulling the younger man to him. A groan erupted from both of them as their skin touched. Harry's fingers began brushing over him gently, slowly adding more pressure until it was his entire hand sweeping over Severus' back and thighs. Severus did the same, learning the body pressed close to his while his mind tried to determine if there were any differences between the outside Harry and the inner one.

Finding none, Severus let his hand wrap around the thick cock rubbing against his thigh and stroked.

"Sev – Severus!" Harry panted out the name, his eyes closing in pleasure. "I won't last if you keep on."

Severus kissed Harry's neck and continued down his chest, trailing kisses as he did. "We have plenty of time to continue later if you don't."

He nuzzled Harry's thighs, helping them part. His hand left the straining cock and dipped between the thighs to play with the sac hanging there and the soft skin behind that. Lifting his head, he watched Harry writhe on the bed, lost in pleasure. Blowing gently over the wet soft head of the cock just in front of him, he let his tongue slip out and run up the underside of it.

Harry gasped and held still. Severus knew Harry was hoping for more, so he gave it. With his lips, mouth, and tongue he brought his husband to completion.

Harry slumped into the bed, his pants sounding loud in the quiet room. After a minute, green eyes fluttered open, and focused on Severus. "Thank you."

Severus smiled. "You're welcome."

Another ritual completed – Harry always thanked him for making him come, and he always answered the same. It started the first time they had made love, and it still continued even into the outside world.

Harry sat up and got onto his knees, cupping Severus' face with his hands.

"I love you, Severus," he whispered. He ran a hand through the long black hair and down the lean chest, finally pushing Severus onto his back.

"I love you, Harry," Severus replied.

Smiling, Harry traced the path of every muscle in Severus' body he could reach with his lips and tongue. He finally ended up at Severus' cock which was straining and weeping. There, he repaid Severus in kind, making the Potions Master moan, plead, and demand until he was coming, arched away from the bed, his fingers wrapped tight in Harry's hair, clutching his head.

Sinking down onto the bed, Severus let out a shuddering breath. Harry wormed his way back up, bringing the covers with him.

Both of their eyes began to drift shut, exhausted after the long day. Severus pulled Harry to him, spooning himself around the younger man.

All was right now, Harry was in his arms, where he belonged.

§§§§§§

 _Months later_

Harry rolled out of bed, his attention caught by the sight of Severus barely tucked under the covers. Decency was being honoured but that was about all. One long leg was draped over the cover and the other foot peeked out as well. There wasn't a stitch of cover any higher than the man's hipbones, one corner of the sheet was barely tucked around his side. It was a sight Harry would love to sit and stare at, but he didn't have time. He had to be in the office early while Severus could report into Maverick's anytime today.

Running a hand over his face, he headed for the shower. As he stepped into the pounding hot water, he knew he didn't regret last night. He would never regret enticing Severus to leave his books, quills, and parchment not to mentions his ingredients and cauldrons.

Not that he minded Severus' research abilities – it was his tenacity that helped them discover that the potion his Mum had given Severus all those years ago was one lost to the Wizarding World. One lost on purpose. They were a prime example as to why it was banished from all books, scrolls, and any place else Severus had looked for it at. The only place it might be left in the Wizarding World was the Department of Mysteries. It took him, Hermione, Ron, and Severus to find the book Lily had used in the local library. It had been tucked deep into the recesses of the stacks with a concealment charm on it as well as a repellent charm. Severus had checked it out and then returned a different book – one that was disguised to look like the other one.

Harry had watched as Hermione flipped through the book to find the potion, and all four of them read the descriptive paragraph that matched what Severus said Lily had told him. Severus then turned back to the beginning of the book where all the warnings were and learned that the Perfect Match Potion was a highly potent bonding potion to be used with the utmost caution.

Harry shook his head at the memory of all the colourful words Severus had chosen to pronounce about Gryffindors and their need to rush into things.

The gold ring on his hand shone through the soap bubbles as he lathered himself down. He had always known that Minerva liked Severus and the saga of the rings had just reinforced it. Christmas Eve shopping turned out to be fruitless. That evening, at Hogwarts, the Headmistress transfigured their rings for them again, and then every morning after that a new pair came in the post. That finally ended on Valentine's day when a pair of solid gold rings made to look exactly like the ones Minerva transfigured, arrived in the post instead. The note said Filius, Pomona, and a few of the other staff members had worked together to find a jeweller to make them to Minerva's exacting requirements and then all of them had worked to charm them. Severus and Harry were very gratef, to say the least – the charms, wards, and the runes hidden in them were far more complex and highly potent than any other ring or adornment on the market. Pomfrey had even worked in a number of simple healing charms to keep them alive just in case. Terry, Draco, and Ron had almost drooled over them.

Sighing, Harry focused back on scrubbing. He knew he had to get into the office to let Ron and Terry know the information that Severus discovered for their case. It struck the Potions Master late last night while he was researching something for his potions, and was jotting a note when Harry had distracted him completely.

A small, content smile curled his lips. Harry loved just how easily he could distract Severus from whatever he was doing. A brush, a word said in just the right tone, a gust of breath across the right spot, and Severus was mush in his hands. Well, not mush, but hot and desirous. It was something he was very glad didn't change now that he was wholly outside of his love's body.

Leaving the shower, Harry quickly dried off and dressed, all without looking at Severus. He knew he would give into the tempting sight if he did, and he did owe it to his husband to deliver his finding. That, and let him get his research done in peace.

With one last look at his Love, he shut their bedroom door and slipped out. He would pick up breakfast on the way in.


End file.
